JK Tyres factory shut as 107 employees test Covid-19 positive

Mysuru: As many as 107 employees of factory belonging to JK Tyres at Metgalli in Mysuru have tested positive for Covid 19.

The case is reminiscent of the Jubilant Generics case in Nanjangud in which 74 people tested positive for Covid 19 in the early weeks of the pandemic in Mysuru district.

Following the positive tests, all three units of the tyre factory have been locked for sanitisation.

Of the 6500 employees in the factory, the one showing symptoms of coronavirus infection are being quarantined and tested.

The employees are thought to acquired the infected from workers who had history of travel to Maharashtra.

The company has been directed to adopt a standard operating procedure after sanitisation, according to joint director of the District Industries Centre, D K Lingaraju. 

The employees are being treated at ESI facilities and at a Mysuru private hospital and a few are at the designated Covid hospital in Mysuru. 

Meanwhile, an employee of another company in Nanjangud too has tested positive for Covid 19.

He is a resident of Naidu Nagar in Mysuru. And after his test came bckc positive, the division in which he worked has been sealed and 14 employees who worked alongside him are being quarantined. 

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mysuru Industries Association head Suresh Kumar Jain said that though most of the industries in Mysuru are open after the lockdown was lifted, they are suffering 40 percent loss due to Covid-19 crisis. An MNC at Belagola industrial area in Mysuru is also closed. 

And the companies where fresh covid 19 positive cases are found, suffer more crisis, he said. 

So far Mysuru district has reported 80 deaths, 1908 covid 19 positive cases and 1154 cases are active.