Omicron BF.7 Scare: RT-PCR Test Mandatory For Foreign Arrivals From China & 4 Other Nations

New Delhi: Amid the Omicron sub-variant BF.7 scare, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday announced that the RT-PCR test would be mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong& Thailand.

“On arrival, if any passenger from these countries is found symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19, he/she will be put under quarantine,” he said.

The Centre had earlier decided to conduct random sample testing for coronavirus  at airports for international passengers arriving from China and other countries in view of the recent surge in cases in some parts of the world,

Notably, India on Saturday saw a jump in daily caseload after 201 people were found infected with the virus, Union health ministry’s 8 am bulletin update said.

Three cases of BF.7 variant, believed to be driving China’s current surge of COVID cases, have been detected in India so far. This sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5 has the strongest infection ability since it is highly transmissible, has a shorter incubation period, and has a higher capacity to cause reinfection or infect even those vaccinated, media reports said.