TIRUCHY: After an employee of a popular textile showroom here tested positive for COVID-19, the store has been shut down temporarily. 533 employees of the showroom, of whom 480 are from Tiruchy district, have been asked to immediately isolate themselves and be in home quarantine. Of the 480 from Tiruchy district, most hail from Thuraiyur, Musiri and Manachanallur. About 80 employees are from the corporation limits.
Following the employee's positive test on July 5, one of his contacts also tested positive. The store on NSB Road was then shut temporarily by the district administration and all employees were asked to isolate themselves. This is the second big commercial establishment to shut down in Tiruchy.
“We are in the process of placing each of these 480 employees under home quarantine. The first step is to ask them to isolate themselves, so that follow up becomes easy. Only by quick isolation will we be able to contain the spread,” said District Collector S Sivarasu.
Corporation, revenue and police officials will be monitoring these employees. Those exhibiting symptoms will be tested.
Sources say that of these employees, 21 stayed in a hostel. They are being closely monitored and will be tested in 3-4 days if they exhibit symptoms.
NSB Road is one of the busiest roads in Tiruchy frequented by shoppers of all age groups. People who shop in these big showrooms then come in contact with many other small sellers nearby, which increases the risk of spread.
Random testing in the area has also been done according to health officials. This move has been taken by the Collector to prevent a repeat of what happened in a jewellery store just 50 metres away from this showroom. After an employee tested positive in that store, it stayed open for two days and other employees weren’t tested immediately, leading to more than 100 contacts of that employee testing positive.