Karnataka Minister for Primary and Secondary  Education Suresh Kumar on Tuesday said that he has urged his cabinet colleagues to look into the issue of testing journalists in the state for novel coronavirus. 

This was announced after journalists in Karnataka asked Suresh Kumar whether testing would begin soon in the wake of journalists in other states testing positive for the infection. Fifty-three journalists tested positive for novel coronavirus infection in Maharashtra and 27 journalists from a TV channel in Tamil Nadu tested positive on Tuesday.

“I have brought this to the notice of my cabinet colleagues and also the Chief Minister. I have requested the ministers that all journalists should be tested as they are moving around in such infection hotspots. We will put out a timeline shortly,” Suresh Kumar said.

On Monday, the minister wrote to the Chief Minister, asking him to ensure that journalists in Karnataka are tested as well. 

“Journalists move around for their work and come into contact with people. In Maharashtra, 171 journalists were tested and 53 were positive. I request you to direct the Health and Public Information departments to take necessary steps to begin testing,” Suresh Kumar’s letter to Chief Minister BS Yediyurapppa states. 

Twenty-six employees of a news channel in Tamil Nadu tested positive for coronavirus infection after a 24-year-old colleague tested positive, two days ago. The patients are part of the desk and reporting teams of the organisation. 94 other journalists were also tested on Tuesday in the state. 

The cases in Maharashtra were announced on Monday. “It is with dismay and shock that we have learnt that as many as 53 Mumbai-based journalists, many of whom are our members, have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus,” the Mumbai Press Club said in a Tweet after the results came out.