Industry's violation of COVID-19 safety protocol causes virus transmission in community

DHARAN: An industry has been held responsible for transmission of coronavirus at community level in Dharan Sub-metropolitan City of Sunsari district. 

Negligence on the part of Priti Valve and Fittings Industries Pvt Ltd located in the Industrial Area of Dharan-8 has been  blamed for local transmission of the novel virus. 

After one of the workers, a youth from Dharan-13 was diagnosed with COVD-19 on July 29, local residents demanded that the industry be sealed. However, the industry continued its operation flouting health and safety protocols as five other workers also contracted coronavirus. Moreover, 12 others who came in contact with them were also diagnosed with the contagion. 

Of the 12 detected with infection, five are industry workers while six others are members of a same family in Dharan-3. The tests were carried out at the laboratory of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences. 

As of Thursday, a total of 41 cases of coronavirus infection have been detected in Dharan, according to health section officer at the sub-metropolis, Umesh Mehta. He said, of the total infected, 14 persons are workers of the industry.  

Of the 1,300 swab specimens collected for the lab test, reports of 297 people are awaited, Mehta informed. 

Locals have complained that owner of the industry did not close it down after a case of infection was reported, even on being appealed to. On the contrary, he continued operating the industry violating health and safety protocols, a local said and added that the infected workers had been strolling about the market openly.  

Meanwhile, the metropolis has urged BPKIHS to halt its Out Patient Department (OPD) service since an intern doctor and two medical students tested positive for the contagion. It has been presumed that the infected doctor may have transmitted the disease to others as he had been visiting local BP Sundar Bazaar.