Pune: Seven employees of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Pune and two employees of a contractor have tested positive for corona virus infection. The market was closed for past one and half month and as a precautionary measure, all employees were tested for corona virus infection. During these tests, nine persons were found positive.
APMC Administrator B. J. Deshmukh said, "Many employees, workers and traders were coming from initially demarcated red zone areas. Hence the section of the market was kept closed for past one and half months. But considering the plight of farmers, we had discussions with the district collectorate officials and reopened the markets after a gap of 50 days on May 31."
"Since the market premise was closed, the cleanliness and maintenance staff along with other employees were not coming to the market. Before opening up the market again, we decided to conduct tests on these employees who would return to work. A total of 179 employees were checked out of which seven employees of the committee and two of a contractor tested positive. These nine persons were asymptomatic and have been admitted to the hospital for treatment," said Deshmukh.
The seven employees of APMC who tested positive for corona virus infection include five women and two men. While the two employees with a contractor includes a woman and a man. Since they were not working at APMC, it is evident that they were infected somewhere else.
"Large number of people gather at the marketplace. We are reopening the market after proper sanitization is done and we will also follow the social distancing norms. We also appeal to citizens to inform us if anyone shows symptoms of Covid-19." - B. J. Deshmukh, Administrator, APMC, Pune
