MUMBAI — India will begin randomly testing 2% of worldwide passengers arriving at its airports for COVID-19, Mansukh Mandaviya, the nation’s well being minister, instructed parliament on Thursday, because the nation steps up surveillance for brand spanking new coronavirus variants.
“The global pandemic is not yet over.. The virus is changing its face from time to time,” Mandaviya instructed parliament on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to carry a gathering with high officers on Thursday to overview the COVID-19 state of affairs within the nation.
“Considering the upcoming festival season and New Year, states have been advised to keep up awareness of hand hygiene and the importance of masking,” Mandaviya stated.
India’s iconic Taj Mahal, which attracts hundreds of vacationers day by day will now require guests to bear a COVID-19 take a look at earlier than they enter, Reuters companion ANI reported.
Lawmakers attending the continuing winter session of parliament had been noticed sporting masks. Masks haven’t been obligatory in most elements of the nation for a number of months.
India is reporting a mean of 153 instances of COVID day by day, Mandaviya stated. The nation has 3,402 energetic instances of the coronavirus, in response to knowledge from the well being ministry.
The authorities earlier this week requested India’s states to maintain a lookout for any new variants of the coronavirus and urged folks to put on masks in crowded areas, citing a rise in COVID-19 instances in China and different elements of the globe.
With greater than 44 million COVID instances to this point, India has reported essentially the most on this planet behind the United States. However, its variety of confirmed infections has fallen sharply prior to now few months. — Reuters
