Mumbai, Dec 24 (PTI) Passengers arriving from Europe, South Africa and the Middle-East will not be subjected to RT- PCR test for coronavirus immediately upon arrival, the Maharashtra government said in a fresh circular on Thursday.

The circular amended the Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) issued for dealing with passengers arriving from these regions on December 21 following the detection of a new variant of coronavirus in the UK.

Seven-day institutional quarantine has been made mandatory for asymptomatic passengers arriving from Europe, South Africa and the Middle-East. Symptomatic passengers are immediately shifted to designated hospitals.

The circular said that no RT-PCR test will be conducted on arrival for asymptomatic passengers.

The test will be conducted at the hotel where the passenger is quarantined between 5th and 7th day, it said, adding that the cost of test will be borne by the passenger.

If the report is negativethe passenger will be discharged from institutional quarantine but he or she will have to stay in isolation at home for further seven days.

If the result is positive but the patient is still asymptomatic, he or she will stay in institutional quarantine at the same hotel or at COVID-19 hospital for 14 days, the circular said.

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