HOSAPETE: The railway quarters in Hosapete has been declared a red zone, after 30 people, including Railways employees and their family members, tested COVID-positive over the last one week.
Reacting to the situation, the authorities have suitably taken measures to curtail the spread of the coronavirus among other employees, keeping infected workers and their kin in strict isolation, while the quarters and station are also being disinfected.
According to sources, a batch of trainee loco-pilots had visited Hosapete from Hubballi around two weeks ago.
It is possible that some of them with a travel history to Maharashtra and other states, may have spread the infection.
So far, 18 loco-pilots are said to have tested positive, while the remaining count includes their family members.
An official from the district administration said after the first trainee loco-pilot tested positive, two of his primary contacts also turned positive.
“The rate of spread was faster as many of them were together. And within a week, close to 25 people in the same area were positive. Hence, we have declared the railway quarters as a red zone, with all necessary precautions in place,” the official said.
Meanwhile, addressing reporters on Sunday, Minister Anand Singh said, “The district administration is taking steps to ensure that the pandemic is under control. Checkposts are being erected at entry points of the district.”