The lone COVID-19 testing laboratory in Madikeri has been closed for two days after two of its technicians tested positive to the contagion.
The lab, however, will resume testing from July 5 after completing the sanitisation procedure on Saturday and Sunday. The lab is located in the Microbiology Department of Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS).
The two patients – a 27-year-old lab technician from Mahadevapete in Madikeri town and a 24-year-old lab technician from Bhagavathi Nagar in Madikeri town – were the primary contacts of a patient.
Kodagu has reported four positive cases, including the two lab technicians, on Friday. The other two cases include a 49-year-old healthcare worker who was the primary contact of an infected healthcare worker from Murnad who was staying in the district hospital quarters in Madikeri and a 40-year-old male ILI patient from Shanthinagar in Virajpet.
In view of four new cases, four more containment zones had been opened at Hospital Quarters, Madikeri; Mahadevapet and Bhagavathi Nagar, Madikeri; and Shanthinagar in Virajpet. As on Friday, 30 containment zones had been opened.
The Kodagu COVID-19 tally has touched 76 and the active cases stand at 73.