Union health minister visits RT-PCR test centre at Ahmedabad international airport

Amid rising cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya visited the RT-PCR screening centre at the Ahmedabad international airport in Gujarat and interacted with passengers and officials. India has mandated additional measures, including testing, for the passengers arriving at airports from "at-risk" countries.

A facility has also been set up at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

As per the airport authorities, the facility with a waiting area sufficient for 220 passengers, 17 registration counters, eight sampling booths, including 120 RT-PCR machines, has been set up for such passengers.

In a video clip posted by Mandaviya, he is seen interacting with the waiting passengers and airport officials.

"During my Gujarat visit, I took stock of the RT-PCR screening center at the Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel International Airport and interacted with the passengers," the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare tweeted on Friday night.

According to the Union health ministry, 'at-risk' countries include the countries in Europe with the UK, and South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand and Israel.

Gujarat's tally of Omicron cases stood at 113 as of Friday.