With 11.79% positivity rate, Himachal among few states of concern

New Delhi, February 10

Foreign passengers arriving in India from February 14 will not have to home-quarantine for seven days, the Ministry of Health said in its revised guidelines today as the Covid pandemic contracted further.

The new guidelines require foreign arrivals to self-monitor their health for 14 days. They would no longer have to undergo an RTPCR test on the eighth day of arrival or upload the report. This arrangement will be followed with countries that recognise the Covid vaccines being administered in India. The demarcation of countries between at-risk and others has been removed, meaning no passengers from the previously designated at-risk nations would have to give samples on arrival or wait for results to leave the airport.

Though India has been reporting less than 1 lakh cases for four days (67,084 cases in last 24 hours), Himachal is among the few states of concern having over 10 per cent weekly positivity rate. India will, however, continue with random sampling of 2 per cent international arrivals. “Travellers can give samples and leave the airport. The random sampling will help us detect any potential variant of concern in future,” Health Ministry spokesperson Lav Agarwal said. Overall, the government today flagged mixed signals on the pandemic front. The daily positivity has fallen to 4.4 per cent and active cases to 7,90,789 from 22.49 lakh on January 24. Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka now have 61 per cent of all active cases.

Member, Health, NITI Aayog VK Paul however said, “There is a mixed picture of optimism and caution.

Kerala has an enormously high 29.5 per cent weekly positivity. Mizoram has rate of 26.5, Sikkim 17, Arunachal 12 and Himachal 11.79 per cent. Nearly 39 districts are witnessing a rise in weekly cases and 200 districts have positivity at 10 per cent or above. “We are transitioning to improvement, but cannot lower our guard,” Paul said.

Himachal, with 60 per cent coverage, has taken the lead in inoculating beneficiaries in 15 to 18-year age group.