A food testing laboratory in Hosur — Nawal Analytical Laboratory— has emerged as a micro cluster with seven COVID-19 positive cases, out of the 14 new cases reported in Krishnagiri district on Thursday. Except one, all the others were reported from Hosur.
The infections at the food testing laboratory were spread by a visitor from Tuticorin, sources said. Following the test on one of the technicians, other contacts in the laboratory were also tested, and all of them tested positive. The laboratory has been sealed.
Earlier, two cases were reported in Micro Lab, a pharmaceutical company in Hosur that produces hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol. One of the employees took ill and exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 while on a visit to Bengaluru. After he tested positive at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, his primary contacts at the pharmaceutical unit in Hosur were tested and two of them reported positive. Three blocks of the company involved in quality control were sealed.
In Hosur, the bulk of the new cases were reported from Anna Nagar, Muneeswaran Nagar, KCC Nagar, Lakshmi Devi Nagar, NTR Nagar, while Samalpatty in Uthangarai reported one case.
Among the infected was a five-year-old girl.
The infected persons had a travel history traced to Dharmapuri, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Vellore.
