‘Pharma staff caught virus from Chinese’

Minister clarifies on Mysuru infection

17/04/2020, LAIQH A. KHAN, TANU KULKARNI,BENGALURU/MYSURU

A day after the police disclosed that samples of raw material drawn from the pharmaceutical company in Nanjangud, near Mysuru, had tested negative for the novel coronavirus, Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar claimed that investigations into the source of infection were pointing to an employee’s contacts with a Chinese citizen.

The police authorities in Mysuru, however, maintained that the source of infection was yet to be established.

Contact tracing

Dr. Sudhakar told The Hindu that patient-52 was the first employee of the company to test positive. “The Home Department’s investigation reveals that he was in contact with a Chinese person. We are relieved to know the source and will intensify our contact tracing efforts,” he said.

The number of persons from the company testing positive for COVID-19 has now touched 49, including three on Thursday, leading to Mysuru emerging as one of the hotspots.

Superintendent of Police C.B. Ryshyant said investigations were yet to identify the source of infection among the employees of the company. While denying that P-52 had travelled to either China or outside India, he said the company had shared the travel history of employees. “We don’t see this person having travelled to any place outside India,” he said.

P-52, who recovered earlier this month and was quarantined at home, had given his statement to the police.

Meanwhile, the company sought to clarify that none of its employees, who had tested positive, had travelled overseas recently.