260 foreign workers sent to quarantine

A total of 260 foreign workers of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant who returned from their home countries -- mostly from Russia -- were sent to institutional quarantine yesterday.

They have been quarantined at three separate places of the project site, said Dr Fakhrul Islam, a physician of the power plant's residential area "Green City".

A 14-day quarantine is compulsory for those who arrive from Europe, he said.

Their samples will be collected for Covid-19 test after 13 days, the doctor said, adding that they will be allowed to join work if the test reports come negative.

Sources said 2,800 foreigners in total are working for the project.

Ishwardi Upazila Health Officer AM Asma Khan told The Daily Star that the workers who came from Russia are receiving the Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik-7 under special arrangement.

So far, 1,000 Russian workers have been vaccinated, she said.