Authorities suspect that the Chinese consignment received by the Patient 52 might have infected him with novel coronavirus

The taluk alone has reported 21 cases, all directly or indirectly connected to the state's Patient 52, who has no travel or contact history. 35 cases of novel coronavirus have been found in Mysuru district. People have alleged a Chinese consignment spread virus in region. 1400 employees of company that received parcel have been quarantined

The source of the novel coronavirus in the majority of cases reported from Karnataka's biggest Covid-19 cluster is a mystery.

By Wednesday evening, Karnataka had reported 181 cases of Covid-19 out of which Mysuru district alone accounted for 35 cases. While authorities have been able to track the source of virus in 14 cases, they have failed to pinpoint the original source of the novel coronavirus in Nanjangud taluk in Mysuru district.

The taluk alone has reported 21 cases, all directly or indirectly connected to the state's Patient 52.

Chinese Consignment

One theory is that the virus came from a Chinese consignment received by Jubilant Life Science. The individual, who received the consignment for the company on March 15, tested positive for novel coronavirus on March 26. He was patient 52 and since then 20 others have tested positive in the vicinity. All new cases had no travel history and were directly or indirectly had come in contact with Patient 52.

Sources tell India Today TV that on March 15, the company received a consignment from China via Chennai. Patient 52 was in charge of making sure this consignment of almost 3 tonnes of raw materials was sent to the warehouse and stocked.

On March 17, he developed a fever and then on March 18 he took leave. He came to work from March 19 but on March 20, by around 11.30 he signed out and was admitted to the Gopala Gowda hospital in Mysuru. He was then shifted to the government-run KR Hospital the next day and tested positive for Covid-19 on March 26.

Immediately after this, a 3km buffer zone was created in Nanjangud town and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers began going door-to-door to collect information about anyone reporting symptoms.

Close to 1400 employees of the pharmaceutical company are under quarantine and only one entry and exit point is open for the movement of essential goods and emergency services in the taluk.

As Patient 52 had no travel or contact history, district authorities are now trying to figure out what could have happened. Whether he met any person who travelled from abroad or was the consignments received by the company infected with the virus?

The samples of the consignments have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing.

Karnataka has reported 181 positive cases of novel coronavirus with five deaths by Wednesday.