Strengthening the preventive measures against COVID-19 in the wake of the rising cases in some states of the country, authorities in Kashmir on Saturday ordered that inbound travellers will not be allowed to leave the airport here until their test report is received. The test reports will be issued on the spot before letting the travellers go, an official spokesman said.

In a meeting convened here as part of the preventive plan, in-charge Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary issued directions for putting in place required measures to avert the spread of coronavirus in the Valley, the spokesman said. Choudhary directed for strengthening the preventive mechanism at the Srinagar airport, instructing the Srinagar and Budgam district administrations to set up additional coronavirus testing facilities to enable quick receipt of the test reports.

He instructed that no inbound traveller be allowed to leave the airport until their COVID-19 test report is received, the spokesman said. He said the instructions come in the wake of a recent trend within Kashmir which shows a greater number of infections in travellers compared to local cases of COVID-19 infections.

The spokesman said it has been decided that those travellers whose reports come positive would be isolated in order to prevent transmission and spread of the infection among the local population. Relevant protocol as given in the COVID-19 SOP manual will be followed in the case, he said.

The meeting was informed that those with 48-hour-old RT-PCR negative reports from their departing cities will not have to undergo testing at the Srinagar airport. Earlier, while speaking during the meeting, Director, Health Services Kashmir, Dr Samir Mattoo said the COVID-19 situation is under control.

The transmission rate is also quite low but stricter measures at the airport have to be taken to avert rise in infections, he said. It was informed that a rise in the positive cases as reported in some states outside J-K along with the recent trend of finding more infections in inbound travellers has necessitated taking these preventive measures as directed, the spokesman said.