Mumbai, Nov 27, : According to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s directives, Eknath Shinde, Urban Development Minister, the Maharashtra government will screen passengers arriving from at least 10 countries where the new Coronavirus variant “Omicron” has been detected. In consultation with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corp (BMC), will make available a list listing all passengers who have arrived from overseas in the last 14 days to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
Officials will inspect passengers arriving from 10 countries that have the more dangerous Omicron variant — South Africa, Botswana and Brazil, China, Israel and Belgium, Hong Kong and Mauritius, New Zealand, and Israel — before they are allowed to board the plane.
Shinde stated that the Omicron dangers will be addressed by the municipal commissioners and heads of health departments.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani stated that passengers arriving from ‘high-risk’ countries will be subject to compulsory institutional quarantine and that home isolation would not permitted under any circumstances.
Kakani also provided information about the precautions being taken in the face of a potential danger.
Kakani advised that if Omicron patients are found in any buildings in the city, they will be sealed to protect them.
The minister also ordered all hospitals and ICUs to inspect and verify that the treatment infrastructure is in good condition, with enough beds and liquid medical oxygen, and ventilators to handle any eventuality.
Top officials attended the emergency meeting, including U.D.Principal Secretary.Bhushan Gagrani and Kakani, collectors from Thane, Raigad and Palghar, as well as all municipal commissioners, civic heads, were present at the emergency meeting.
The Omicron variant has already caused a global panic with many countries imposing new restrictions on air travel, stock markets plummeting, and many nations imposing new restrictions on passengers from countries where it was detected.
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