Udupi Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao said on Saturday that the samples of three persons, who arrived in the district from high-risk countries in the past five days, have turned negative for COVID-19. They are presently under home quarantine. Their swabs will be compulsorily tested again on the eighth day of the arrival.
Speaking to presspersons in Udupi, the Deputy Commissioner said that nine of 69 persons, who arrived from Kerala in the last one week, have tested positive and 12 of 266 persons, who came from Maharashtra, have also tested positive. In addition, 91 international passengers arrived in the past five days.
Presently 5,000 samples are being tested in the district daily. The test positivity rate stood at 0.4 % and the district had 88 active cases. All new patients have been subjected to home quarantine.
All those who arrived from Kerala are under observation for a week. Such persons will be tested again after a week of their arrival. They should produce the negative certificate prior to the 72 hours of their travel, Mr. Rao said.
The health officials are randomnly checking the swabs of high school and college students, teachers, traders, employees at malls, staff at hotels, bars and offices. Nodal officers have been appointed to 25 private hospitals to ensure availability of beds and oxygen at the time of admitting COVID-19 patients, the Deputy Commissioner added.
The upper limit of persons who can participate in functions, marriages has been fixed at 500.
The Deputy Commissioner appealed to the people to follow the COVID-19 guidelines, wear a mask, and avoid crowding.
He asked people to get themselves vaccinated at the nearest health facility and to cooperate in preventing the spread of the infection.
Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat Y. Naveen Bhat and the Superintendent of Police N. Vishnuvardhan were present.
