Tamil Nadu Health Min says 128 international passengers screened, none test COVID positive

As India grapples through the fear of the multi-mutated COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’, all states in the country including Tamil Nadu have enhanced their vigilance to prohibit the spread of the new variant. Amid the scare, the Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian Wednesday informed that around 128 international passengers have been screened by the government since Tuesday (November 30) midnight and no passenger has been tested COVID-19 positive till now. 

The state health minister further informed that all the international passengers arriving from the 12 at-risk nations designated by the centre, including the UK, South Africa, Israel, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Mauritius, New Zealand will be tested by the government. 

Tamil Nadu Health Min informs, 'no international passengers tested positive,128 screened till now'

Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, Ma Subramanian said, “Till today (from last midnight) 128 international passengers were tested, no one tested positive in the RT-PCR tests. All passengers arriving from the 12 at-risk countries will be RT-PCR tested and will be monitored.”

The DMK leader further added that CM Stalin-led government has assured that the required measures are being taken to enhance the screening and testing in the state, in order to prevent any cause of the threat. He further informed that the district collectors have been directed to ensure maximum vaccination. They have also been allowed to place restrictions on non-vaccinated people. He also urged the collectors to make sure that the non-vaccinated people shall not be allowed to visit public places.

“We have instructed district collectors to take steps on restrictions for non-vaccinated people and ensure that they do not come in public places. We want to ensure that people get vaccinated without fail,” he apprised.

Citing an example of Kanyakumari district, where only vaccinated customers are permitted to buy alcohol from the government liquor shops, the Tamil Nadu health minister urged the collectors to place such restrictions, so as to enhance the vaccine uptake in the state to build maximum immunity against COVID. 

Around 7,04,30,421 individuals have been vaccinated in the state, out of which, 2,49,95,037 have been fully vaccinated till December 1, as per the Union Health Ministry’s data. 

India’s COVID-19 situation 

Though not a single case of Omicron has been detected till now in the country, the fear remains as it is being speculated as a ‘highly transmissible’ variant. India on Wednesday, December 1, has reported 8,954 fresh Coronavirus infections with 10,207 recoveries in the past 24 hours. To date, the country has administered 124.10 crore COVID vaccine doses under Nationwide Vaccination Drive.

Image: ANI/ Pixabay