The JSW steel plant in the Ballari district of Karnataka, India has become one of the largest new pneumonia infections in the district. As of July 10, the total number of positive cases reached 510.
In the first week of June, more than a month after the first employee of JSW Steel in Ballari, COVID-19, had a positive reaction, the number of cases in the town rose sharply, which also affected the production capacity of the steel.
Local officials told CNBC-TV18 that although the number of cases has exceeded 500, the recovery rate has reached 80%. So far, there have been no COVID-related deaths in the steel mills.
This situation affected the production capacity of the Ballari plant. JSW Steel's total annual production capacity is 18 million tons and its annual output is 12 million tons.
The company said that the average capacity utilization rate of JSW Steel fell to 76% in June 2020, which is mainly due to the decrease in production capacity of the Ballari division.
The company has required 50% of its 30,000 employees at the Ballari plant to work from home.
The company said that JSW Steel's crude steel production in the first quarter of fiscal 2020-21 was 2.96 million tons.
"In order to control the further spread of infection among employees and members of the local community, JSW Steel Vijayanagar Works has responded quickly and responsibly to the changing COVID-19 situation. The company has taken many measures to ensure that employees are fully monitored and Support. And community members," a JSW Steel spokesperson said.
JSW Steel has established two COVID care centers in Ballari with more than 200 beds.
Jindal Sanjeevani Hospital has been converted to a COVID-19 nursing center with 82 beds, including 7 ICU beds, and the company said it has also received approval for the Covid19 nursing capacity to add 121 beds to the OPJ vocational training center.
