The Hindu Business Line : Google shuts office as virus hits staff

Hyderabad, July 14 Google India has reportedly shut down one of its two offices in Hyderabad for two days, with a few of its employees down with H1N1 influenza.

The search engine major, which houses around 300 staff in the building wanted to sanitise the building for two days – Tuesday and Wednesday — to arrest the spread. The company reportedly sent an e-mail to its staff about the move.

The other building, which accommodates about 1,500 people, is functioning.

However, company officials here were not immediately accessible for comment. One Google staffer had contracted the virus from his roommate, who was tested positive for H1N1 after he returned from a Qatar Airways flight a few days ago.

Dr K. Subhakar, in-charge of nodal cell to treat H1N1 influenza patients at the Government Chest Hospital here, has clarified that only one Google employee was affected.

With the news of techies contracting the virus spreading fast, the Hyderabad Software Exporters’ Association has decided to discuss H1N1 preparedness at IT companies.

“Awareness is happening among the IT employees. But (after seeing news of some IT pros down with H1N1 influenza) we have decided to talk about specific measures to be taken,” Mr M. Narasimha Rao, President, HYSEA, told Business Line.