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Bengaluru, May 7: Karnataka has revised its standard operating procedure (SOP) for international passengers. The first group of passengers will arrive in the state on May 8.

The number of categories has been reduced to two from three. Category A includes passengers symptomatic on arrival while Category B passengers are those asymptomatic on arrival. These are passengers who are either healthy or those having co-morbidities.

As per the revised SOP, the passenger will be released on the seventh day, if tested negative, to strict home quarantine for another seven days with stamping.

This norm is in contradiction to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ SOP for international passengers. As per the MHA’s SOP, the passengers (asymptomatic) will be under institutional quarantine for 14 days. Testing negative after 14 days, they will be allowed to go home and will undertake self-monitoring of their health for 14 more days.

On the contradiction, Pandey said, "We don't take chances as we rely on tests instead of just quarantining. Other states may be depending on just 14-day institutional quarantine."

"GOI SOP doesn't talk about Covid tests on international passengers. We have put an additional safety layer of three Covid tests on returnees -- one on arrival, second from 5-7 days and last on 12th day. This will ensure definite identification of positive cases even if they are asymptomatic and their subsequent treatment. We should look at the spirit behind the order," he added.

On the 14-day additional reporting period for category B, he said, "It is implied as category B patients should report to us for 14 days after their first 14-day quarantine period is over."

Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said that the State would follow the Centre’s norms.

Till Tuesday, Karnataka’s SOP had three categories. Under Category A (symptomatic), 14-day institutional quarantine at COVID-19 Health Care Centre was mandatory followed by 14-day reporting period. Under Category B (asymptomatic above 60 years with co-morbidities), seven-day institutional quarantine at hotel/hostel followed by seven-day home quarantine and 14-day reporting period had been recommended. The 14-day home quarantine and 14-day reporting period was mandatory for Category C (asymptomatic).

Bengaluru, Mar 2: Killing an Indian porcupine and inviting his TikTok followers to view it proved costly for a 25-year-old man from Kalaburagi. Forest department officials tracked him down and arrested him on Sunday morning.

Manjunath Biryalhissa, a resident of Jewargi taluk, was famous for his various TikTok videos and for lifting heavy stones in his village and neighbouring areas.

According to forest officials, on Friday, Manjunath and his friends caught a porcupine in Sindagi range, Vijayapura and stoned it to death. Later, they fried and cooked it. Manjunath then made an 18-second video, where he spoke about the porcupine hunt and slaughter, besides inviting his followers to like the video and join him in the feast.

The video was on TikTok and Facebook. Wildlife activists who found the video alerted forest department officials.

“Porcupine comes under schedule four of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Keeping this video as evidence we were able to trace him through his Facebook account, where he had shared details of his hometown,” said forest officials.