An employee of Google, who works in the Bengaluru office, has tested positive for coronavirus, the company said on Friday, PTI reported. This is the sixth case in Karnataka.
“We can confirm that an employee from our Bengaluru office has been diagnosed with COVID-19,” a Google spokesperson said “They were in one of our Bengaluru offices for a few hours before developing any symptoms.”
Other employees have been asked to work from home and those who may have come in close contact with the patient have been asked to quarantine themselves and monitor their health. “We have taken and will continue to take all necessary precautionary measures, following the advice of public health officials, as we prioritise everyone’s health and safety,” the company said.
It is not clear when the employee tested positive for the virus.
The 26-year-old man had recently returned from Greece and reportedly visited several places in Bengaluru, according to NDTV.
Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu said the man has been placed in isolation at a Bengaluru hospital and the government is tracing those who may have come in contact with him.
The Bengaluru office of Google is among the oldest facilities of the company in India and houses hundreds of engineering staff.
On Tuesday, Dell Technologies and Mindtree Ltd had confirmed one COVID-19 case each from among their employees who returned from overseas. With all the confirmed cases in Karnataka being IT employees and their family members, tech firms across the country are now on high alert.
India recorded its first coronavirus death late on Thursday after samples of a 76-year-old man, who was a suspected COVID-19 patient and passed away on March 10, tested positive for the disease. The health ministry has confirmed 75 cases in the country right now.
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