BMTC conducts random coronavirus tests on crew after 16 staff test positive

Bengaluru, Jun 26: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has started conducting random coronavirus tests for its crew members after 16 employees contracted the pathogen in the past fortnight.

"We started the random testing of our crew members from Saturday after 16 members were found infected with COVID-19, since June 11," a BMTC official told PTI. Of the 16 only two had fever and others were asymptomatic. Four have been discharged from the hospital after their reports came out negative following treatment, he said.

The corporation has decided to screen all the staffers who are above 50 years of age, returned from COVID-19 affected regions or have symptoms especially fever, cough and cold. BMTC started its operations in the city from May 19 after the lockdown was eased and on June 11 the first coronavirus case was reported when a driver-cum-conductor tested positive for the infection. The first coronavirus patient of BMTC had a travel history to Kalaburagi and Vijayapura, which were the hotspots during May. The BMTC has a fleet of 6,661 buses and has employed over 33,334 employees as of March this year.