Coronavirus: Puducherry CM's office shut as staff tests positive
What's the story
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said on Saturday that his office would be temporarily closed after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The CM's office will now remain shut for two days for sanitization. Narayanasamy said that the staff member was among the 87 new COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours, according to PTI. Here are more details.
Details
Staffer identified as assistant of OSD to CM
Speaking to reporters via video on Saturday, Narayanasamy said that the staff member had been admitted to a government hospital on Friday after testing positive. According to The New Indian Express, the staff member is the assistant of the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister. Narayanasamy appealed to people to not visit the Legislative Assembly, PTI reported.
Action
Entire Legislative Assembly to be sanitized
The CM's office was sealed Saturday morning and the entire Legislative Assembly complex will be sanitized, an official told The Hindu. The official said, "At least four-five people who have been in close contact with the affected person have been quarantined. The Health Department will make an assessment on the number of people to be tested and they will all be quarantined by evening."
History
Portion of Assembly office was sealed earlier this month
Earlier this month, a peon serving in the Office of the Council of Ministers in the Legislative Assembly complex had tested positive for COVID-19. Three others had also tested positive for the viral disease at the time. Thereafter, the third floor of the Assembly Secretariat building was sealed and employees were tested. In April, Narayanasamy, the Assembly Speaker, among others, had tested negative.
Outbreak
Puducherry reports 619 cases, 10 deaths
Thus far, Puducherry has reported a total of 619 cases, including 10 deaths and 388 active cases. According to the Union Health Ministry, as of Saturday morning, India had reported a total of 5,08,953 COVID-19 cases. The total cases include 15,685 deaths and 1,97,387 active cases, along with 2,95,880 patients who have been cured or discharged and one patient who migrated out of India.