India makes RT-PCR test mandatory for flyers transiting through China, 5 other nations

The development comes at a time when China has been dealing with its worst Covid outbreak since the start of the pandemic.

New Delhi, Jan 02: Amid growing concern over the fresh covid outbreak globally, India has made it mandatory for international passengers - even transiting through six high-risk countries - to upload Covid RT-PCR negative report 72 hours prior to the boarding of flights.

"Mandatory pre-departure RT-PCR testing (to be conducted within 72 hrs prior to undertaking the journey) introduced for passengers in all international flights from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and Japan," the health ministry said in a statement.

"This will also apply to transiting passengers through China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and Japan irrespective of their originating countries before coming to any Indian Airport"," the statement added.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Civil Aviation's Air Suvidha Portal has to be made operational for passengers on all international flights from these countries, with a provision to allow international travellers arriving in India to submit negative RT-PCR test reports as well as a self-declaration form on this portal.

"This arrangement is in practice with effect from 10 am on Sunday, January 1, 2023," the letter said, adding the existing practice of post-arrival random testing of 2 per cent of travellers irrespective of the port of departure shall continue.

India also conducted mock drills at health facilities in several states on December 27 to check operational readiness to deal with any spurt in the Covid infection.

In a bid to curb covid spread in India, a detailed guidelines for two per cent random screening of international passengers on arrival were issued and random sampling was initiated from December 24

So far, as many as 1,716 international flights have been screened and 5,666 samples collected for COVID-19 testing. Guidelines for international arrivals has been revised on December 29, and from January 1, 2023, all international arrivals from China, Singapore, Hongkong, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan will undergo mandatory pre-departure RT-PCR testing (to be conducted in 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey).

Meanwhile, the country on Sunday registered 265 new coronavirus infections and a decline in active cases to 2,706, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Jan 1. The total tally of Covid cases was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,78,649).