A doctor check a COVID-19 test kit as coronavirus cases across the world continues to surge.
At least 25 people, including journalists, working for a Tamil news television channel have tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, a health department official said. The development has come a day after 53 media persons working in Mumbai were also found positive for the novel COVID-19. "Not less than 25 people have tested positive...(of the)...90 plus samples (for confirmatory RT-PCR test) taken," the official told PTI. The development comes days after two journalists, including one who worked with the TV channel, tested positive for the contagion in the city.
To a question, the official said the test results of those associated with the television channel were being collated and indicated that the tally of total positives could be '27.' Asked in which hospital, they were being admitted, he said "a direction has been given to admit them at Omadurar (Government Medical College, Multi Super Specialty Hospital at Government Estate)."
Earlier on Monday, at least 53 journalists in Mumbai tested positive for COVID-19, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said. During a special camp organised at the Azad Maidan here on April 16 and 17 for COVID-19 testing of scribes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) collected swab samples of 171 mediapersons, including electronic and print media journalists, photographers and cameramen.
"Out of the 171 media persons, 53 tested positive for coronavirus," BMC spokesperson Vijay Khabale said, adding that most of those who tested positive are asymptomatic at present.
All the media persons found infected with coronavirus will be kept in isolation and a process was underway to find out suitable places to the purpose, he said. Efforts were also on to trace their high and low-risk contacts. Till Sunday, Mumbai recorded 2,724 coronavirus cases and 132 deaths due to the disease.
(With inputs from PTI)
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