MHA releases SOPs for transit of COVID-19 negative foreign nationals and release of quarantined people

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the transit of COVID-19 negative foreigners stranded in India and release of quarantined persons after being tested COVID-19 negative.

"It has been decided that requests received from a foreign government, for the evacuation of their nationals from India, would be examined by the Ministry of External Affairs on a case to case basis," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a release.

"Prior to departure, the foreign nationals would be screened for COVID-19 symptoms as per the standard health protocol. Only those foreign nationals would be allowed to leave, who are asymptomatic for COVID-19. In the case of symptomatic persons, the future course of treatment would be followed, as per the standard health protocol," it added.

The Home Ministry also released SOPs for release of quarantined persons, after the expiry of the quarantine period and tested COVID-19 negative.

"Persons testing negative for COVID-19 would be released from the quarantine facilities. However, this will not apply to a group, where even one person tests positive for COVID-19," the Home Ministry said.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday said that there are 2,069 coronavirus positive cases in India, including 1,860 active cases, 156 cured/discharged/migrated people and 53 deaths.