HYDERABAD: In a bid to dispel panic among IT companies, Telangana state officials and police have jointly clarified that the person from the IT industry who showed 'borderline symptoms' of coronavirus was self-quarantined and that the chances of its spreading are minimal.
Officials also urged IT companies to not evacuate their premises before intimating the government.
Srinivas Rao, Director of Public Health, said, "Today we have come to know that certain IT offices have been closed upon learning that an employee has been found positive. It is not true. Yesterday we tested 47 samples for coronavirus, out of which 45 returned negative. The other two were at the borderline. These two samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for further confirmation. We will get the results tomorrow morning (March 5)."
One of the persons whose results showed symptomatic of coronavirus is working with a company called DSM located in Raheja Mindspace. Rao said that the person had returned from Italy and had self- quarantined from February 28.
Upon learning of the same, employees who work in Building 20 of the IT park, evacuated after being directed the same by the IT company. "Twenty others who were working with him have been advised to work from home," Rao said, adding that others can return to the office from March 5. As of now, Raheja management, post the evacuation has taken all precautionary measures and sanitised the building -- canteen, lifts, toilets and so on.
Similarly, the employees of Duff and Phelps were also evacuated as one of them was a close relative of the person working in DSM. Health officials said barring the person who is a close relative of the DSM employee, everyone else can come to work from tomorrow (March 5). The relative has to work from home, officials added.
Srinivas Rao added that the other patient with symptoms of the virus was in direct contact with Telangana's first positive coronavirus patient. "There is no local infection as of now. We have intensified surveillance activities all over the state. All the suspected cases along with the contact persons will be identified and will be put in isolation for a period of 14 days," said Rao, while apprising reporters of preventive measures being undertaken.
Meanwhile, state government officials took objection to the manner in which IT companies undertook the evacuation process saying it created panic among people. IT and Industries Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said, "There are some established protocols that one has to follow. We may take such drastic measures only after we detect a positive case."
Ranjan also cited an example of Paradigm, an IT company operating from Purva Summit which is located right opposite to Duff and Phelps -- where a close relative of the person who has coronavirus-like symptom works. "They, despite being located right opposite, have not evacuated. However, Hexagon, another company, operating from an adjacent building evacuated."
The official said that the state government has chosen Cyberabad Police and its commissioner VC Sajjanar as the point of contact if any IT company feel the need to evacuate in the future.
Sajjanar asked IT companies to be flexible regarding these matters and to allow people to be home if they have such virus-like symptoms. "We are keeping a close watch on social media to keep a check on fake news on coronavirus so that it does not create needless panic," he added.