The state government on Friday made an RT-PCR test mandatory for all international travellers reaching Goa either by sea or air. Health minister Vishwajit Rane said all international travellers, including those from countries that were not categorised “at high risk”, will be tested on arrival in view of the rising cases of Covid-19.
All international travellers from high risk countries have to be in home isolation if they test negative on arrival, but have to test on the eighth day.
PANAJI: The state government on Friday made an RT-PCR test mandatory for all international travellers reaching Goa either by sea or air.
Health minister Vishwajit Rane said all international travellers, including those from countries that were not categorised “at high risk”, will be tested on arrival in view of the rising cases of Covid-19.
“We will be testing all international passengers on arrival, travelling from high-risk countries as well as non-high risk,” Rane said.
Earlier, Rane said, only 2% of passengers travelling from “not at risk”countries were subjected to RT PCR testing. “The government of Goa has taken a decision in public interest to test all international passengers,” he said.
The government has approved capping of the rapid RT PCR test at Rs 1,500, until further review.
On Friday, the first charter from Russia landed with 515 passengers, and two of them tested positive on arrival.
They are suspected to be the carriers of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and have been transferred to a state-run isolation facility, and their samples have been sent for genome sequencing.
Also, a traveller from the UK, who was subjected to a RT PCR test on the eighth day of his arrival, tested positive and was sent to the isolation facility. His sample too was sent for genome sequencing.
All international travellers from high risk countries are required to be in home isolation if they test negative on arrival, but have to test on the eighth day. If the test result is negative, he still requires to be in home isolation and self-monitor, further testing is not required.
Goa is slated to receive one charter from Russia every ten days, while three charter flights a week from Kazakhstan. Ernest Dias, chief operating officer at Sita Travels, that mostly handles Russian travellers, said that with restrictions in place they were not sure if the charters will come as per the schedule. He said that he fears cancellations.
