Following the discovery of C.1.2—a new, more transmissible variant of COVID-19—the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a new set of guidelines for international passengers arriving at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Effective from September 3, 2021 (00:00 hr), self-expensed RT-PCR testing has been made mandatory on arrival for all passengers travelling from or through the U.K., Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
Passengers from other countries—exiting or transferring to connecting flights—are to present a negative COVID-19 report taken no longer than 72 hours before arrival. Under the new guidelines, all exemptions made for people over the age of 65 and fully vaccinated individuals have also been scrapped including the provision for institutional quarantine.
“All passengers shall have to submit their self-declaration form and undertaking to officers deployed at the Mumbai Airport and shall be mandatorily subjected to 14 days home quarantine”, read BMC’s circular.
Priced at ₹600 a test, Airport Operators at Mumbai have increased the testing capacity of the space to 600 passengers per hour.
In view of new mutations, pax arriving at Mumbai Airport from UK, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid RTPCR Test on arrival. pic.twitter.com/XY8dKKRBUx — माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) September 1, 2021
In view of new mutations, pax arriving at Mumbai Airport from UK, Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe shall be mandatorily subjected to self-paid RTPCR Test on arrival. pic.twitter.com/XY8dKKRBUx
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) September 1, 2021
The new coronavirus variant—C.1.2—was first detected in South Africa on July 21, 2021, according to the World Health Organisation. The new variant is known to have over 40-59 mutations than the virus detected in Wuhan. While the C.1.2 virus was found in six other countries, government sources told ANI that this variant has not yet been detected in India.
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Muskaan Gupta believes visiting local markets is the best way to unearth a city's gems and jewels. She admires Delhi more than any other city and travels with her film camera that doesn't fret to capture very touristy pictures.
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