TIRUCHY: A week after TNIE reported on how NSB Road was turning into a new possible cluster, now a total of 104 people, both workers of a jewellery store and their contacts, have turned positive for the virus in Tiruchy district.
Just a few days after lockdown relaxation, a worker attached to a jewellery showroom at NSB road tested positive for the coronavirus on June 22. With as many as 303 workers on duty and 32 out of them sharing accommodation with the worker, a creation of the possible cluster was predicted.
This unfortunate prediction turned out real as a total of 104 people related to the jewellery store and contacts have tested positive. Almost all of them hail from the villages fall under two taluks of Thuraiyur and Musiri.
A senior official from the district administration said, "From the one worker from the jewellery store, the virus has spread to at least 104 people till now. Initially it was speculated that a massive spread would not happen as the patient was isolated immediately. But, over the course of next one week, the contact history has been rising and more people are testing positive."
Reportedly in the two taluks of Thuraiyur and Musiri, the positive cases have risen by 10 times in the last 13 days.
On June 22, the two taluks had a total of 10. However, by July 05, a total of 108 cases were recorded. Of these, 104 are related to the jewellery store. "We are monitoring the health status of all the workers and their contacts. Apart from sending positive patients to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, non-positive cases are advised to home quarantine and their condition is monitored. In case any symptoms are spotted, they will be immediately sent for re-testing," said, an official from the Thuraiyur Taluk.
It is to be also noted that all co-workers were not initially tested as soon one worker turned positive. Following an outcry and public demand swab tests were taken for as many as 249 workers only on July 1. The jewellery store on NSB road remains closed for two weeks now.