A branch of MTR Foods Private Limited in Bengaluru has been sealed since last week after an employee tested coronavirus positive. The Bommasandra unit of MTR Foods was sealed after an employee was found to have COVID-19 about a week ago.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Commissioner (BBMP) Anil Kumar confirmed the same to TNM and said that the affected employee had 40 primary contacts, all of whom were quarantined after he was found to be infected. District Health Officer Dr Srinivas told TNM that 16 of the primary contacts had also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
According to its website, MTR Foods describes itself as an Indian heritage brand and is popular in the south for its dry masalas, mixes, instant foods and other condiments. In 2007, MTR Foods got into partnership with a Nordic conglomerate named Orkla.
Bengaluru city has 15,599 active coronavirus cases – the highest in Karnataka. A total of 20,969 people have tested positive in the city till Tuesday. So far, 377 have succumbed to COVID-19 and 4,992 have recovered.
Bengaluru is on a week-long lockdown until July 22 due to the rising number of daily coronavirus cases. The lockdown commenced from July 14. However, home delivery and essential services such as groceries and milk shops are allowed to remain open from 5 am to 12 pm. Despite speculations, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had said that there was no plan to extend the lockdown beyond the one-week time period.
Karnataka has 25,839 patients under treatment for COVID-19. Till Tuesday, 44,077 people had tested positive in total in the state, which has also reported 842 deaths and 17,390 recoveries.