COVID in Mumbai: BMC Announces RT-PCR, 7-day Home Quarantine For UAE Arrivals

Covid-19 testing. Image for representational purposes.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

All people arriving in Mumbai from the United Arab Emirates will be required to take an RT-PCR test, as well as undergo a mandatory week-long home quarantine, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Wednesday, 29 December.

The revised rules were announced after the civc body commissioner, IS Chahal, held a virtual meeting with civic officials, deans and medical superintendents of hospitals, news agency PTI reported.

The BMC commissioner also indicated that 500 beds each will be arranged for quarantining mild and asymptomatic cases of illness at NESCO and BKC Jumbo COVID-19 centres, and added that people willing to pay can quarantine in hotels.

A statement releases by the BMC reportedly added that the guidelines, previously only applying for passengers from Dubai, have been extended for the entire UAE.

It noted further:

At the airport, regular RT-PCR tests should be performed on patients found to be infected with COVID-19 in the rapid test. If the test is negative, then segregation should be done as per prevailing rules. If the test is positive, then the decision should be taken for isolation or hospitalisation as per the prevailing rules. Samples of regular RT-PCR tests should be sent for genome sequencing.

BMC, as per PTI

As per the release, Chahal has urged all administrative wards to employ flying squads to ensure the implementation of new years' guidelines, and indicated that some police may also be deployed in the squad.

(With inputs from PTI.)