COVID-19 Pune: Chakan industrial unit reports 120 positive cases in single day; ordered temporary shutdown

Pune: An industrial unit in Chakan has reported 120 Covid-19 positive cases in a single day. These shocking numbers of cases were revealed when swab samples of 800 employees of the company were collected recently for conducting COVID tests. The local administration has ordered the management to close the facility for a few days as a preventive measure.

Khed Panchayat Samiti Sabhapati Ankush Rakshe, Block Development Officer (BDO) Ajay Joshi, Taluka Health Officer Dr BB Gadhve visited the company on Saturday (August 1). They had a discussion with the company management. Later BDO asked the company management to shut down the unit for a few days as a preventive measure.

The number of Covid-19 cases reported from Khed taluka and especially the Chakan area had increased in the past few days. After the Mission Begin Again started, several industrial units in this area resumed operations. Employees of these companies stay in nearby areas and some come from outside taluka areas too. When the recent spike in COVID-19 cases was observed, the contact tracing of patients was done which revealed that infections were spreading due to close contacts in several companies.

The management of companies and local tehsil administration had to do a balancing act of allowing industries to function but at the same time keep the number of Covid-19 cases on the lower side. The 120 positive cases found in the concerned company also had about 60 to 70 persons residing in the taluka itself while others are suspected to be from outside areas.

Khed Tehsildar Suchitra Amale Patil said, “Swab samples of about 800 persons were collected from the company out of which 120 have been identified as Covid-19 positive. Prima facie it is evident that the company has not followed the precautionary norms laid down for preventing the curb of coronavirus. We will conduct an enquiry into this matter and take suitable action.”