3 journalists test positive for Covid-19, 37 others quarantined

Three journalists from the Times of India Group’s Mumbai office tested positive for Covid-19 and reported their test results to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

Three journalists from the Times of India Group’s Mumbai office tested positive for Covid-19 and reported their test results to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday night.

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They were immediately moved to the civic isolation facility for asymptomatic Covid-19 positive persons set up at Powai.

The three journalists are part of a team of 40 who were staying at a five-star hotel in Bandra, from where they were commuting to work daily in south Mumbai.

The 37 other journalists staying at the hotel have now been quarantined at the Bandra hotel itself after their test results came back negative.

“The media house these three journalists are employees with called me on Friday night and informed about three Covid-19 positive cases,” said Vinayak Vispute, assistant commissioner of the H West ward.

“The tests were done privately by the media house, so the three persons are not tested and recorded by the BMC. However, as a precautionary measure, they have been immediately moved to the asymptomatic-positive persons’ isolation facility in Powai. Additional tests will also be conducted by the BMC,” he said.

Vispute said the media house has arranged quarantine facilities for the remaining 37 teammates at the same hotel, at the company’s expense and an understanding with the hotel management.

“The media house has assured BMC that these persons will be strictly quarantined in their rooms.”

The three infected journalists worked on the news desk and were not field reporters.