The Karnataka government on Wednesday said that all international passengers who have been advised home quarantine in the state will be marked with indelible ink to control the spread of COVID-19, PTI reported. People arriving at the Bengaluru airport from abroad are being checked for coronavirus, and if directed to remain at home, are being stamped “home quarantined”. It also states “Proud to protect Karnataka” and has a date showing when the person was stamped.

The Maharashtra government had first announced these measures on Monday and marked individuals who have been asked to isolate themselves for 14 days.

Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said the move will ensure that the primary and secondary contacts of the passengers are aware of the situation. “This is to contain spread of the virus, and health measures and guidelines need to be followed strictly,” he added.

According to a government order by Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Services, passengers are being segregated as symptomatic and asymptomatic, The News Minute reported. “The symptomatic passengers [Group A] are being taken to designated hospitals for necessary treatment while asymptomatic passengers, depending on the port of origin, are either being taken to the quarantine centre or permitted to go on home quarantine,” he said.

Pandey said the state government decided to adopt these measures as passengers have not been following instructions of strict home quarantine for 14 days.

India’s first coronavirus death was reported from North Karnataka. A 76-year-old man died in Kalaburagi district on March 12 following his return from Saudi Arabia. The patient’s samples were tested positive last week after his death. The Union Health Ministry has so far confirmed 14 positive cases in the state. Two more people have died in India since the first death.

Four people were on Wednesday deboarded at Palghar from on board the Garib Rath train from Bandra to New Delhi after co-passengers raised an alarm and the Train Ticket Examiners noticed their quarantine stamps. All four had arrived from Germany.