Fact Check: Viral notice about positive Covid-19 case in Bengaluru apartment

Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire and new cases have been confirmed in India as well. After the 25-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru was tested positive for Covid-19, people who worked with the techie or those who have been in close proximity are being reached for a screening of the virus. While the entire nation is on high alert, a report of another positive Covid-19 case has been making the rounds.

International Business Times, India, was tipped off about an internal notice sent by the District Surveillance Unit for Bangalore Urban District to the president of an apartment association in Sarjapur road about a positive Covid-19 case in one of the flats. In the notice, the district health officer has sought co-operation of the association to conduct surveillance activities in one of the flats.

There's no clarity as to who tipped the district health unit about the coronavirus case in an apartment complex in Bengaluru, which is located in Sarjapur Road. But the notice, dated March 3, 2020, states that a positive Covid-19 case resides in Sarjapur Road's apartment. For privacy reasons, we are not disclosing the details of the apartment that has been mentioned in the viral internal notice.

Fact check

To verify the authenticity of the letter, we tried reaching out to the concerned departments. Firstly, our attempt to reach the District Surveillance Unit for Bangalore Urban District using the given telephone number did not return a response. We then reached out to the apartment association, but the line was busy for several minutes before it got disconnected.

We also tried calling the District Health Officer for Bangalore Urban, but there was no response initially. Later we were redirected to Dr J Prakash for further clarity, but the officer hasn't been available to take calls as of this writing. 

While we are working to get more details on the case, The News Minute has reported that the Hyderabad techie, who tested positive for the deadly virus, had stayed in the apartment complex for about two days before travelling to his hometown. The techie had returned from Dubai on Feb. 20 and is suspected to have contracted the infection while working with colleagues from Hong Kong in Dubai.

Upon learning that the coronavirus-infected techie had stayed at the Sarjapur Road apartment, all residents are being screened for the virus.

"We are carrying out surveillance activities in the area. We have identified 90 houses in the vicinity and have already visited 40 households. In each house, we are checking for symptoms like sneezing, sore throat or body ache and others. If they exhibit any of these, then we have to refer them to the hospital. If they have any symptoms, they have been advised to stay in home quarantine for the next 28 days," Dr J Prakash, District Health Officer, Bangalore Urban, told TNM.

As for the notice, it is legit but there haven't been any positive cases for Covid-19 from the apartment complex so far. The inspection is underway and the story will be duly updated upon learning more. Stay tuned for updates.