Mumbai Returnee Among Two Test Covid-19 Positive, Screening Begins At Bhubaneswar Airport

Bhubaneswar: Two symptomatic travellers who arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport on Wednesday have tested positive for Covid-19 even as the Bhuabeswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) begins screening of all passengers on their arrival at the airport from today.

While one of the two Covid-19 positive passengers, who came from Mumbai, has been kept under home isolation, the other traveller has been admitted to the Sum Covid Hospital, BMC additional commissioner Subhendu Sahoo said.

"On the request of the airport authorities, we conducted tests on the travellers. Two persons tested positive yesterday (Wednesday) while reports of others are awaited. From today onwards, we are conducting screening of travellers at the airport. If anyone is found with Covid-19 symptoms, he/she will undergo a test," Sahoo added.

Though the test is not mandatory, those are arriving from affected states like Kerala and Maharastra will be subjected to screening, BMC Commissioner Premchandra Choudhury said.

The BMC began screening of travellers from today at the airport amid fears of Covid-19 resurgence on account of finding of new strains of the virus in some states, Maharashtra and Kerala in particular.

Meanwhile, the BMC Commissioner received Covid-19 vaccine shot at the Capital Hospital here.

"As per orders, frontline workers were supposed to be administered the vaccine. In the first phase, I could not receive the jab due to some medical reasons. After consultation with doctors, I took the opportunity today. I am doing fine," Choudhury said.