RT-PCR test mandatory for flyers from China, five other places: Health Minister

Passengers head to check-in counters at the airport. Pic/AFP

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said that passengers arriving in India from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand will be mandatorily required to provide negative Covid-19 reports from January 1.

They will have to upload the negative Covid reports from RT-PCR tests on the Air Suvidha portal prior to their departure.

The tests have to be conducted within 72 hours of undertaking the journey to India, Mandaviya said.

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Taking to Twitter, Union health minister said: "RT-PCR test has been made mandatory for flyers coming from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand from 1st January 2023. They will have to upload their reports on the Air Suvidha portal before travel."

Amid a spike in coronavirus cases in some countries, the government has sounded an alert, tightened Covid guidelines and asked states and Union territories to prepare for any eventuality.

India recorded 268 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 3,552, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.11 per cent while the weekly positivity was pegged at 0.17 per cent, the ministry said.

(With inputs from PTI)