After Delhi, West Bengal Makes Covid-19 Negative RT-PCR Report Mandatory For Arrivals From 5 States

The decision by Delhi and West Bengal government came in the backdrop of significantly rising cases of Coronavirus in the aforementioned states.

(Representative Image/ Getty)

Kolkata: After the Delhi government made it mandatory for people arriving from various states to carry negative Covid-19 test reports, Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal followed the suit and said that those arriving from states of Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana and Karnataka must have a Covid-19 negative RT-PCR test report. As per reports, the West Bengal government said that the order will come into effect from 12 noon on Saturday.

"Passengers will need to carry a negative COVID-19 negative RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hours of flight departure, with effect from 12 noon February 27 onwards," the official order read.

"In view of the increasing trend of COVID cases in the states of Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, and Telangana and in continuation of earlier order issued last August, this is to inform you that the state government has decided that from February 27, all passengers coming to the state from the four states shall mandatorily carry a COVID negative RT-PCR report," it said.

Necessary instructions to all the airlines would be issued in this connection, it added. However, those traveling by trains or buses have been exempted from this.

The decision by Delhi and West Bengal governments came in the backdrop of significantly rising cases of Coronavirus in the aforementioned states.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi government announced that it will now be mandatory for "all passengers" from Maharashtra, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab by flights, trains or buses will have to show a negative RT-PCR test from Saturday to March 15. 

The move has come because, in the past week, 86 per cent of the new virus cases have emerged from these states. Meanwhile, Maharashtra and Kerala alone account for 75 per cent of the country's current active cases after a sudden rise in new infections in the recent past.