COVID-19: Karnataka starts marking passengers at airport

Karnataka Health Minister B. Sriramulu on Thursday said the state government has started marking passengers at the city airport, required to be home quarantined as a precaution to contain the potential spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

"COVID-19 passengers hands being stamped at international airport, Bengaluru. #Indiafightscorona," tweeted Sriramulu.

He shared three photographs of passengers being stamped at the Kempegowda International Airport.

The region above the knuckle of a fossil watch wearing man's left hand bore the stamp: Proud to protect Bengaluru. Home quarantined till April 3.

Officials wearing masks are stamping passengers at the airport.

On Wednesday evening, state Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey highlighted that some people under home quarantine are not following the procedures properly.

He said the health department will stamp such people.

"It has been decided to stamp the back of palm of left hand of such passengers with a specially designed stamp which will indicate the last day of quarantine," Pandey said in a statement.

The rectangular stamp will read: Proud to protect Karnataka, home quarantined till. With another stamp indicating the date in dd/mm/yy format.

Meanwhile, a new coronavirus positive case has emerged from Kodagu, taking the total positive cases to 15 in Karnataka.

"First in Kodagu today. The infection was confirmed and the man had just returned from a tour of Saudi Arabia," said Sriramulu.

The Health Minister said the new case is being treated in isolation at a hospital. IANS