Omicron scare: Mumbai revises home quarantine guidelines for international travellers

As the threat of the new COVID-19 variant looms in India, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday, December 3, issued revised SOPs for strict monitoring and supervision of international travellers arriving in Mumbai. In line with the Centres' latest guidelines, the government of Maharashtra has prescribed 7-day home quarantine to international passengers from 'at risk countries'.

To ensure strict compliance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and to prevent the possible spread of the Omicron variant the MCGM has issued specific instructions to the concerned officials at the International airport, the Disaster Management Unit, Warn War Room Teams and Medical Officers. 

BMC Commissioner Iqbal Chahal asserted that with the surveillance guidelines issued by the civic body, home quarantine of foreign returnees will be as effective as institutional quarantine.

BMC guidelines for monitoring home-quarantined travellers

Omicron scare in India

Meanwhile, the BMC confirmed that as many as nine international travellers, including one from South Africa, who arrived at the Mumbai International Airport between November 10 and December 2, have tested positive for COVID-19. The Corporation also informed that the samples of the positive cases have been sent for genome sequencing. The fresh cases in international arrivals come amid the rising Omicron scare. The Union Health Ministry announced on Thursday that two cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been reported in India, both the cases have been found in Karnataka. 

According to the Centre, the countries designated as "at-risk" are European countries, including the UK, and South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.