4 journos isolated for dining with quarantined MLA in Telangana

Four journalists working for vernacular news channels have been quarantined after it was learnt that they had lunch at the residence of an MLA, who is under home quarantine in neighbouring Gadwal town recently, a senior government official said on Wednesday (April 22).

The Gadwal town headquarters of Jogulamba-Gadwal district was declared as Red Zone by the Centre due to considerable number of COVID-19 cases.

Sources close to the development said five other media persons who also had lunch with the MLA will also be quarantined.

Related news: I&B ministry asks scribes to stay safe while reporting on COVID-19

The official said the legislator was already in self-home quarantine since April 10 after he came to know that two persons who attended a funeral where he was also present, tested COVID-19 positive.

However the MLA tested negative for the virus. “As a precautionary measure, the four media persons were kept in quarantine. They do not have any symptoms of COVID-19. They are all doing fine. They are asymptomatic,” the official told PTI.

Another five journalists who were also present at the luncheon meeting with the legislator are also on their way to the quarantine centre, sources said adding the officials are on alert as one of the stringers of a TV channel in Gadwal tested positive.

Currently the journo is undergoing treatment.