Chandigarh: High drama was witnessed on Thursday after 125 of 179 international passengers, who arrived at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport Rajasansi, near here, from Italy, in an charter flight tested positive on arrival.
Since Italy is one of the “at risk” countries according to the Union Health Ministry, all eligible passengers — 160 in this case — were tested for COVID-19 and 125 of them were found to be positive, they mentioned.
Out of total 179 passengers, 19 were children or infant so they were exempt from on-arrival RT-PCR testing, they said. The charter flight between Milan in Italy and Amritsar in Punjab was operated by Portuguese company EuroAtlantic Airways, they mentioned.
The Covid passengers were asked to quarantine in local hospital as per the guidelines of the government.
Confirming the development, airport Director VK Seth told the media: “A total of 125 passengers of Italy-Amritsar flight have tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival.
“It took two hours to conduct the RT-PCR test. We have asked the passengers to follow government guidelines. The state authorities was informed in this regard.”
Angered over the health protocol, passengers raised slogans against the government and demanded it to allow them to go to their homes.
Relatives of the passengers too staged a protest.