SBI Employees Trigger Fake Coronavirus Panic To Shut Down Branch; Collector Takes Action

Earlier this month, the Indian Government had asked the banks to start its operations with a full workforce to handle relief measures amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. 

The employees of the State Bank of India (SBI) closed the branch at Mokia in Nabarangpur district of Odisha on April 7, claiming that all were infected with the COVID-19 virus.

Read to find out more…

What is the Fuss About?

Collector Ajit Mishra viewed the matter with grave seriousness. So far no one has tested positive in the district. He reprimanded the bank employees and ordered them to open the branch. 

On April 7, the manager of the SBI branch at Mokia in Nabarangpur district in the state of Orissa closed the branch and put up a notice that the staff members had come in contact with a COVID-19 patient, so they had to quarantine themselves for 14 days. He did not inform the district administration of their decision. Ajit Mishra said, “The irony is that the staff members declared themselves infected, though their samples had never been taken for testing.”

When The Collector came to know of this situation, he called up the Superintendent of Police, the Chief District Medical Officer and the regional manager of the bank at Jeypore in Koraput district on April 7  night and urged that action be taken to prevent the workers from adding to the panic in the district. The manager and the workers were directed by the Collector to reopen the branch the next day, April 8. 

What Really Happened!

On April 4, a clerk of the Mokia branch gave a person a lift from Papadahandi to Nabarangpur on his bike. The clerk, knowing the situation in the country and the world became nervous when he came to know that the person had returned from Delhi. 

He rushed to the Nabarangpur District Headquarters Hospital and told doctors that he had come in contact with an infected person. The doctors at the hospital found him suffering from high blood pressure due to panic. He again visited the hospital the next day and told the doctors that he was feeling feverish and was infected from the virus. But the doctors administered him a few doses of paracetamol as he was not showing any COVID-19 symptoms.

After 2 days of the incident, on April 6, the clerk told the other workers of the Mokia branch that he had been infected with the Covid-19 virus and he might have spread it to others in the branch. The manager panicked and believed him without checking up the facts. He informed the higher officials that he and his staff members were suspected to be infected. And thus on April 7, the manager and the other workers decided to close the branch and remain in quarantine. 

Panic and fake news are adding to the fire of chaos in the country!

Before causing any panic, the citizens must check the facts or contact the helpline numbers provided by each state!