Sikkim- In a considerate and sympathetic gesture towards tourism stakeholders and tourism service providers in the state, the Government of Sikkim has implemented a middle path permitting for the entry of tourists provided they bring along a negative RT-PCR Certificate or pass the Rapid Antigen Test prior to their entry into the state.
Since the cases of COVID 19 are alarmingly skyrocketing and spiraling out of control, the hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and tourism service providers are expected to take rigorous steps and remain vigilant in monitoring the tourists who are suspected of having the symptoms of the novel coronavirus. The person suspected of the coronavirus symptoms will have to then undergo RT-PCR screening and if found positive, will be isolated in order to contain the spread of the virus and protect the community from this deadly infectious disease.
The mandatory negative RT-PCR tests obtained within 72 hours prior to entry are to be strictly checked in the hotels and other accommodations units before allowing the tourists and travelers to stay on the premises.
The Standard Operating Protocols (SOP) and the Covid protocols directed by the state and the Tourism and Civil Aviation Departments are to be strictly enforced. The department officials have been directed to conduct surprise inspections and those establishments, tourism service providers found to be in violations of the Covid protocols as laid out by the government are to be severely penalized and repeated violations can result in the cancel of their registration too.
The members and office-bearers of All Tourist Stakeholders Associations have been advised to strictly comply with the COVID 19 rules and regulations and take active action towards the spread of this deadly infectious disease.
As of Sunday, the brother state of North East India had reported 105 fresh cases of coronavirus taking the total caseloads to 6,696. The Himalayan state as of Sunday had reported 399 active cases. While 6,014 people have recovered from the disease, 136 patients have succumbed to the infection. Sikkim has so far tested 87,574 samples for COVID- 19, including 435 as of Sunday.
Meanwhile, India reported 2,73,810 fresh new Covid-19 cases, making it the fifth straight day that India has recorded more than 2 lakh Covid cases in 24 hours. The highest one-day surge took the total tally of caseload to 1.5 crore mark. There have been 1,619 cases of fatalities reported in the last 24 hours in a new record high taking the total caseload past the 1.5 crore mark. This is the sixth consecutive day that India reported over a thousand daily deaths.