Covid surge in India: 7-day mandatory home quarantine for international passengers from Jan 11

Amid Omicron-driven surge in Covid-19 cases, India today announced revised and more stringent guidelines for international passengers under which they will have to undergo mandatory home quarantine for a week on arrival in the country, even if they test negative for the infection at the point of entry.

Under the new guidelines which will go into force from January 11, travellers from specified at-risk countries will have to submit samples for Covid-19 testing at the point of arrival, reports our New Delhi correspondent

They will be allowed to leave the airport premises only after their test results are in, India's Health Ministry said in a statement.

Home quarantine has been made mandatory for all passengers, according to the new guidelines which will be in force till further orders.

The revised protocols will apply to all airlines and at all points of entry -- airports, seaports and land borders.

International travellers will have to undertake an RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival in India, according to the new guidelines.

The list of "at-risk" countries has also been expanded and includes all European countries including the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Israel, Congo, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia and Zambia.

India's daily Covid-19 case tally rose to 117,100 in the last 24 hours and the total Omicron positive patients count went up to 3,007.