A part of the Krishi Bhawan building in New Delhi was sealed on Monday after an employee in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying tested positive for the coronavirus, PTI reported. The official worked as a personal secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
“The entire office premises will be thoroughly sanitised as per extant guidelines in this regard on May 19 and May 20, apart from the daily sanitisation that takes place,” an official memorandum said. Other officials working there have been asked to work from home for two days, and the building will reopen on May 21.
All those who came into direct contact with the patient have been asked to go into home quarantine. They will be allowed to attend office once again only after they have tested negative for the coronavirus. The remaining staff members will be called to office from May 21 on a rotational basis, according to the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the memorandum said.
The Krishi Bhawan, located in the Rajpath Area in New Delhi, also houses several other ministries, including agriculture, food and consumer affairs, rural development and Panchayati Raj.
On April 21, an employee of Rashtrapati Bhavan was found infected. The next day, an employee of the Ministry of Civil Aviation was reported to have tested positive for Covid-19. The patient’s colleagues who came in contact with him were asked to isolate themselves.
The NITI Aayog building in New Delhi was sealed on April 28 after an employee tested positive. On May 5, one of the floors of the Shastri Bhawan building was sealed after a law ministry official was found infected.
The Delhi office of national carrier Air India was closed on May 12 for two days after a staff member was found infected.
The coronavirus has so far infected 96,169 people in India, and killed 3,029, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A nationwide lockdown initiated on March 25 to combat the disease was on Sunday extended up to May 31, with some relaxations.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!