Aviation Ministry releases updated SOP for International flights; adds detailed algorithm

With more COVID-19 virus cases being recorded in India, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry on Wednesday updated the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the international passengers arriving in India, and this will be in effect from February 22, at 11:59 pm. This is predominantly in the face of the three new variants of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, from the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. 

The ministry's official statement also read, "All incoming international travelers (except travelers coming on flights originating from UK, Europe, and the Middle East) should make sure that they follow the old and guidelines issued by Union Health Ministry."

The Ministry has also put out an algorithm for the international passengers to follow who will arrive in India after 11:59 pm on 22 February. 

READ | COVID-19: UN Chief Asks World To Reverse 'unfair & Unequal' Distribution Of Vaccine

READ | COVID-19: New Risk-prediction Model Helps In Identifying People More Prone To Virus

COVID-19 cases today

Meanwhile, India's tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 1,09,50,201 with 12,881 new infections being reported in a day, while the recoveries have surged to 1,06,56,845, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. The death toll increased to 1,56,014 with 101 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed. The COVID-19 case fatality rate has dropped to 1.42 percent, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,06,56,845 which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.32 percent. The COVID-19 active caseload remained below 1.5 lakh. There are 1,37,342 active cases of coronavirus infections in the country which comprises 1.25 percent of the total caseload, the data stated.  India's COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on  October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20, and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. According to the ICMR, 20,87,03,791 samples have been tested up to February 17 with 7,26,562 samples being tested on Wednesday. 

READ | COVID-19: 209 New Cases In Nashik

READ | UK To Begin World-first Human Trials To Study COVID-19