16 SBI staff members test +ve in Patiala

Patiala, February 21

In a radom sampling, 16 employees of the State Bank of India (SBI) loan branch here tested positive for Covid-19. The Health Department said 11 employees tested positive on Friday and five today.

The department said they conducted a random sampling at the SBI loan branch, Urban Estate. The employees who tested positive have been put in isolation and their close contacts asked to monitor their health constantly.

The Civil Surgeon of Patiala, Dr Satinder Singh, said the SBI branch had closed the public dealing following the detection of positive cases. “We have been holding random sampling in government departments,” he added.

Many SBI branches had been hot spots for Covid cases during the first wave last year.

Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist, said around 224 tests were conducted at SBI branches. They directed the employees to avoid the office if they had fever. — TNS