Date:04/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/04/stories/2009070460300400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Samsung staff make a dash for RGICD

Staff Reporter

A colleague tests positive for swine flu

Firm had declared a holiday to enable its employees to get screened
The affected engineer had returned from South Korea on June 28

Bangalore: Chaos prevailed at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) on Friday as more than 90 employees of Samsung India rushed to the institute to get screened for H1N1 virus. The company had declared a holiday to enable their employees to get screened.

The employees got panicky after one of their colleagues, a 29-year-old engineer who returned from South Korea on June 28, tested positive for the flu on Thursday after he voluntarily reported for screening on June 30. The engineer has been admitted to the Lakeside Hospital.

As the engineer had spent a day in his office at Bagamane Tech Park, it is learnt that Samsung India on Friday advised some of its employees working at the R&D Centre to undergo screening as a precautionary measure.

Restless

“The employees grew restless after they learnt from their HR manager that their colleague has tested positive. The HR manager spoke to me and informed that they had declared a holiday on Friday for the screening. We had a tough time today convincing the employees that they need not fear as they were not close contacts of the affected person,” RGICD Director Shashidhar Buggi told The Hindu.

Examined

He said as many as 55 employees were examined, and throat and nasal swabs of six of them were drawn. “Two of these six are close contacts of the affected person. Though the other four did not show any symptoms, their swabs were drawn because of their anxiety,” Dr. Buggi said.

He said the doctors had a tough time managing the heavy inflow. “I appeal to people not to panic if they are asymptomatic. They need not worry if they are not close contacts of the affected person,” the doctor said.

A PTI report quoted the company’s spokesperson saying that the company had asked four employees to go for a test as a precautionary measure.

“This was to ensure that none of the other employees were affected. The Samsung India Software Operation Centre, located at Bagamane Tech Park, would also carry out operations to disinfect the premises,” according to the report.

One more tests positive

Another 27-year-old person who returned from Bangkok on June 28 tested positive for the virus on Friday, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the city to 25. He has been admitted at the Lakeside Hospital, Dr. Buggi added.