7-days institutional quarantine for people travelling from Maharashtra to Karnataka

Inter-state travel restrictions were lifted from Monday, but people coming from Maharashtra to Karnataka would be subjected to several conditions, including seven days institutional quarantine, in view of high prevalence of COVID-19 cases in the western state.

As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the department of health, all inter-state travellers entering Karnataka would be subjected to mandatory health screening and placed in home quarantine for 14 days.

However, for those from Maharashtra it specified seven days of institutional quarantine followed by seven days of home quarantine even if they were asymptomatic, it said. Tests will be conducted for people having symptoms.

"These measures were necessary as maximum cases are of those who returned from Maharashtra," a health official said adding migrant labourers with travel history to the neighbouring state contributed to the recent spike in cases in Karnataka.

According to the latest COVID-19 bulletin issued by Karnataka health department, as many as 187 new cases were reported on Monday of which 117 were interstate passengers with a majority of them from Maharashtra.

Maharashtra on Monday reported 2,361 new COVID-19 cases and 76 more deaths, taking the overall case count in the state to 70,013 and the number of fatalities to 2,362.

However, the SOP will not be applicable to the special category asymptomatic persons such as those visiting the state in the event of death in the family, pregnant women, children aged below 10 years, those above 60 years and serious illness and human distress.

The business travellers from Maharashtra will have to show confirmed return flight or train ticket which should not be more than seven days later from the date of arrival. In case the visitors are coming by road, they will have to provide the address proof of person in Karnataka they intend to meet, the SOP said.

They will also have to produce COVID-19 negative test certificate not more than two days old and in the absence of it they will be kept in institutional quarantine for two days. Those home quarantined will have to put up a poster on the door of the house. Violation of home quarantine norms will attract a police case, it was stated.