Days after over 60 employees of roadside restaurant Amrik Sukhdev and 10 workers of Garam Dharam in Haryana’s Murthal tested positive for the novel coronavirus, four more roadside eateries on the Delhi-Chandigarh highway were sealed as 14 staffers tested positive for the infections.
Last week, the Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba, situated on the NH-44, was sealed and sanitised as per the protocol. A sub-divisional magistrate along with field teams was instructed to implement the containment measures, Sonipat DC SL Punia had said.
After the news surfaced, the health department began undertaking tests on employees of more dhabas located along the 8km stretch and subsequently, five staffers of Pahalwan Dhaba, three from Kubair Hotel, one from Jhilmil and Aahuja dhabas and four others tested positive on Monday, Hindustan Times reported.
A health official told the publication that these eateries would be sealed and would be thoroughly sanitised. The official added that around 950 samples have been taken from several eateries in the last week and close to 100 employees have tested positive for Covid-19.
Samples of employees were taken after videos being circulated on social media showed coronavirus norms being violated at these eateries, which are popular among travellers. Meanwhile, the Sonepat district administration has not yet filed an FIR against the owners of these eateries.
Murthal is famous for its eateries which dot a stretch on both sides of the Ambala-Delhi national highway. Travellers are seen stopping by for their popular “parathas” and other delicacies. Sonipat’s Deputy Commissioner Shyam Lal Punia last week told news agency PTI that the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, all the eateries had already been instructed to maintain a register to record the number of visitors and their contact details.
“On the basis of these, we are trying to contact as many as possible who have eaten food at these two dhabas during the past few days,” he said.
Sonipat’s Chief Medical Officer Dr JS Punia had said the majority of those infected at the Sukhdev restaurant were workers who had recently returned from Bihar.
“They all live in a colony near the dhaba and we are tracing and testing all of their local contacts. Moreover, we have also informed health authorities in Bihar about this and as the infected persons could have come into contact with many there as well,” the CMO was quoted as saying.
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