A software engineer, who travelled from the US to Bengaluru, has tested positive for coronavirus, Karnataka’s medical education minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Monday.

© Provided by Hindustan Times Karnataka health department officials in a bulletin said 982 people have enrolled for observation in the state, including 700 under home quarantine, so far. (Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

Sudhakar said the engineer travelled from Austin, Texas, and landed in Bengaluru early on March 1.



“He then displayed no symptoms but subsequently when he did develop them, on March 4, he first went to the OPD of a private hospital… He subsequently went to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) the next day,” the minister said in a press conference.

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“His wife, colleagues who interacted with him and his 13-year-old kid apart from the driver have been quarantined at RGICD. He is now stable and others are under observation,” he said.

About 2666 people are suspected to have come in primary and secondary contact with the engineer between March 1 to 4 and the government said efforts are on to contact trace them including those who travelled with him on the Emirates flight.

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The minister’s press conference and confirmation came hours after an internal mail to a school headmistress went viral on social.

It was from the engineer who had written saying that he had tested positive for coronavirus and his child would not attend school as the family had been quarantined.

The school located in the Whitefield area – the tech corridor of Bengaluru – also sent a mail, saying it would be shut till further notice.

Karnataka’s education minister S Suresh Kumar said that all schools till Class 5 would be shut in the city till further orders.

“There is no need to panic, but as a precautionary measure we have undertaken this step,” Suresh Kumar said while speaking to reporters.

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He also confirmed that the person who has tested positive was a resident of Whitefield and had written to the school seeking leave for his child.



Karnataka health department officials in a bulletin said 982 people have enrolled for observation in the state, including 700 under home quarantine, so far.

Follow the government's latest travel advice if you are planning a trip outside India or travelling back to India from affected areas. You can also read World Health Organization's advice on basic protective measures against the virus. The Ministry of Health's special helpline is available at +91-11-23978046 and ncov2019@gmail.com