Coronavirus case rumour triggers panic in Mantralaya

Mumbai, Mar 17: Panic gripped the Maharashtra secretariat in south Mumbai on Tuesday amid rumours that a senior official has tested positive to novel coronavirus infection, prompting authorities to launch a sanitisation drive in the seven-storey building.

Speaking to PTI, an official said that relatives of the senior official had tested positive for novel coronavirus infection. As the concerned official has gone on leave, a sanitisation exercise has been launched in the building as a precautionary measure, he said.

He, however, clarified that the concerned official has tested negative to novel coronavirus. "The Public Works Department which looks after the seven-story Mantralaya has undertaken the sanitisation drive.

Directives have been given to clean the places such as railings of staircases, escalators and handles of the chairs placed outside every department on every floor," he said.

The official said sanitisers have been made available for employees and directions being issues for maintenance of personal hygiene. Amid steady rise of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the state government has already restricted the entry of visitors at the the Mantralaya.