The authorities at airports across Pakistan have intensified the screening of international passengers following alerts regarding fast-spreading Omicron subvariant of Covid-19 cases globally, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

According to a statement released by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), measures have been put in place to test two percent of passengers on all international flights.

After National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) directives, a CAA spokesperson confirmed that the authorities have initiated comprehensive coronavirus screening for passengers at all major airports in the country. Two percent of the passengers from each flight will undergo a rapid antigen test, while the fumigation in passenger lounges will be conducted at least once a day, as directed by the NCOC, he added.

The CAA spokesperson added the Border Health Services officials at the airports were instructed to provide all the possible support to the passengers.

Last year, World Health Organization (WHO) officials recommended that passengers wear masks on long-haul flights after the surge of the latest Omicron subvariant of Covid-19 in the United States.

In Europe, the XBB.1.5 subvariant was detected in small but growing numbers, WHO and Europe officials said at a press briefing.

Passengers should be advised to wear masks in high-risk settings such as long-haul flights, said the WHO’s senior emergency officer for Europe, Catherine Smallwood, adding: “This should be a recommendation issued to passengers arriving from anywhere where there is widespread COVID-19 transmission”.

Reporter Tayyab Saif