Toyota staff Covid-positive, cases at Bidadi manufacturing unit up to 14

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Friday said an employee at its Bidadi-based manufacturing plant in Karnataka has tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of cases at the facility to 14.

The company confirms the emergence of a new case of Covid-19 with the employee concerned having last attended the work on July, 3, TKM said in a statement on its website.

TKM had earlier reported 13 coronavirus-positive cases at the plant.

The company said that in line with the government guidelines, it has quarantined those employees who are suspected to have had primary or secondary contact with the infected employee through appropriate contact-tracing.

"We will also extend all possible support to the infected employee during the period of treatment," the automaker said.

The company said it follows the process of disinfecting the workplace on a daily basis and especially in this case, special deep cleaning and disinfection of the affected work area was carried out immediately after receiving the report.

"Post confirming the safety of the workplace and adhering to all the mandatory protocols, the company will continue its operations at its plant in Bidadi since all the SOPs (standard operating procedures) on preventive measures to contain spread of Covid-19 are complied with," TKM said.

The company had suspended work for a day on July 6 at its Bidadi plant following the death of an employee due to Covid-19.

Sharing details about the positive cases, the company said five out of the 13 previously infected employees had recovered and were now undergoing mandatory home quarantine of 14 days, post their discharge from the hospital.