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Updated May 5th, 2021 at 08:04 IST

Mandatory RTPCR negative report for all passengers travelling to Bengal, says state Govt

The WB government decided to make it mandatory for all passengers to carry their RTPCR negative test report while traveling to Bengal by air from May 7 onwards.

Reported by: Swagata Banerjee
PTI/Unsplash
Image : PTI/Unsplash | Image:self
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Amid a surge in cases in West Bengal as well as the rest of the country, the Mamata Banerjee government on Tuesday decided to make it mandatory for all passengers to carry their RTPCR negative test report while traveling to West Bengal by air from May 7 onwards. This also comes a day before Mamata's swearing-in as the CM of the state for the third time. 

In a letter to the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Bengal Home Secretary HK Dwivedi wrote, "The state government has decided that with effect from 23:59 hrs of 7. May 2021 all (light passengers coming from outside the state of West Bengal shall mandatorily possess an RT-PCR negative test report, for a test conducted within 72 hours of such flight departure."

He added, "Further, notwithstanding such RT-PCR negative report, proper thermal and health screening of all passengers must be conducted by the airline's staff before being allowed boarding. Accordingly, I would request that all airlines may kindly be issued suitable instructions."

Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Tuesday issued an advisory on RTPCR tests and said that COVID tests must not be repeated in cases where a person has tested positive for the virus once either by RTPCR or by RAT testing. In addendum, RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) will now be allowed at all government and private healthcare facilities.

COVID Cases in West Bengal 

West Bengal on Tuesday registered its highest single-day deaths of 107 COVID patients taking the toll to 11,744, the health department said. The tally of coronavirus cases went up to 8,98,533 after the state recorded its highest one-day spike of 17,639 infections, it said. In the last 24 hours, 16,547 recoveries were registered in the state.

The number of active cases has risen to 1,20,946, it added. Since Monday, 57,748 samples have been tested in West Bengal for the virus, the bulletin said.

 

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Published May 5th, 2021 at 07:40 IST

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