Eight passengers from Saudi Arabia test positive at Karachi airport

KARACHI: At least eight passengers who arrived from Saudi Arabia have tested positive for coronavirus at Jinnah International airport, aviation authorities confirmed on Friday.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said that all of them were deported from the kingdom and were screened using Rapid Antigen Testing for COVID-19 upon arrival at the airport.

The CAA said that the infected individuals have been shifted to a quarantine facility in Korangi managed by the Sindh Health Department.

In a parallel development, sources told Geo News that  28 passengers to have arrived from Category C countries were sent to quarantine facilities.

Of the 28, 27 were from Mozambique and one from South Africa.

Travellers to arrive from Category C countries must quarantine for three days, as per the government's set protocols.

Earlier this month, Pakistan tightened travel restrictions amid the Omicron threat that has spread to nearly 100 countries around the world.

According to the new directives, travellers from Category A countries, that also includes Saudi Arabia, have to be 100% vaccinated and all passengers aged six and above (locals/foreigners) are required to be in possession of a negative PCR test report (max 48 hours old) before boarding.

However, deportees are exempt from the PCR test/report requirement.

The NCOC has also imposed a restriction of 100% rapid antigen tests on arrival for transit flights arriving via Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar to guard against the entry of Omicron variant through indirect flights.