BENGALURU: Nearly 170 BMTC employees have tested positive for Covid-19, of whom two have died. The first was a 58-year-old driver who died on July 2 due to cardiac arrest and later tested positive. The second death was of a 51-year-old assistant who worked at the head office. Although 169 drivers, conductors and other staff have tested positive, officials have not been able to trace any of the passengers, although the state is continuing contact tracing through mobile towers.
A person being traced needs to be at a spot for at least 15 minutes for the technology to work. Since buses are on the move, it has not been very helpful. The first BMTC employee to test positive had travelled to Kalaburagi and Vijayapura, which were hotspots in May. — Preeja Prasad