In an effort to contain the spread of Omicron sub-variant BF.7, the authorities concerned at the Darshana border in Chuadanga district, as well as the Hili land port in Dinajpur district, have taken steps to test passengers arriving from India for Covid through rapid antigen tests.
The authorities have strengthened the measures following directives from the Health Division on December 24, reports UNB.
Abu Naim, sub-inspector of Darshana Immigration, said some 150-200 people cross the Darshana Check-post every day. Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express and goods-laden trains also pass through the border.
The authorities are checking the Covid negative report of the passengers, and a rapid antigen test was made mandatory in case of Indian nationals if he or she had not received the booster dose, he said.
Till Tuesday afternoon, 89 people have entered from India, he added.
Screening intensified at Hili land port
The authorities have intensified health screening at the Hili land port as the highly contagious new Omicron sub-variant of coronavirus, BF.7 has been detected in India, reports BSS.
Dinajpur District administration organised an awareness meeting to follow health rules to prevent the spread of the new Omicron variant.
On January 1, the highly contagious new Omicron sub-variant of coronavirus, BF.7, was detected in the country, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) sources said.
"The presence of a new variant was confirmed in the genome sequence reports of one of the four Covid-19 infected Chinese citizens," it added.
Four passengers from China tested positive for Covid-19 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport recently after the authorities geared up health screening as they fear the spread of a sub-variant of Omicron, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) sources said.
The new variant is capable of infecting many people within a shorter period, it said adding: "The new sub-variant of Omicron is four times higher transmissible and the incubation period is shorter enabling it to infect many people at a time."
In the wake of the surge in the new sub-variant Omicron BF.7 in different countries including China and India, the government has asked all to take necessary steps in maintaining health guidelines in all airports, land ports and river ports across the country.
