CHENNAI: Four staffers of GRT Jewellers, brought from Chennai to the city recently, tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday.
Three of them are from a group of 48 staff brought by bus from Chennai without e-passes.
The fourth came to Coimbatore separately by road with e-pass and had been tested at the checkpost.
All of them have been admitted to the ESI hospital.
According to the sources, the Chennai returnees were in the online sales section of the jewellery store.
During the preliminary inquiry, it was found that the staff joined duty without undergoing the 14-day quarantine mandated by the Health Department.
It is still unclear when they were brought to Coimbatore as the store authorities have not revealed the exact date of arrival.
Police have registered an FIR against the shop manager and at least 39 employees for violating norms.
Meanwhile, the Health Department is planning to begin contact tracing of the infected by browsing the visitors' list of the jewellery store and officials have directed the private hospitals to make sure that their outstation patients were coronavirus negative.
The officials instructed the hospitals to inform the Health Department about elective treatment two days prior to the surgery.
The information must be shared with the Joint Director and the Deputy Director of Health Services and District Epidemiologist.
In the last 10 days, at least five patients from other districts have tested positive.
Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar said the patients from other districts have to get themselves tested for coronavirus to undergo elective surgery.