CORONA SNEAKS INTO RAJ BHAVAN
Governor tests -ve, even as 16 Raj Bhavan staffers are found to be +ve
Coronavirus has entered the official abode of the constitutional head of the state in Maharashtra - Raj Bhavan. Around 16 personnel, including Governor BS Koshyari's secretary and another senior official, were detected Covid-19 positive.
Although the staff working in his proximity were among those who tested positive, Koshyari said he has tested negative and denied reports of being in self-isolation.
''I am perfectly all right and not in self-isolation. I underwent relevant tests, the result of which came in the negative. There are no symptoms of Covid-19 either. However, considering the Covid 19 situation elsewhere, I am discharging all my official duties and strictly adhering to protocols like social distancing, sanitizing, wearing of masks. Reports appearing in a section of the press regarding my health are baseless. I am hale and hearty,'' said the Governor in a communication released by the Raj Bhavan.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation sources said, after two Covid-19 patients were detected in the gubernatorial residence, they had tested 100 staff members, including officials and other employees. So far, 16 have tested positive and reports for others are still awaited.
Employees will be home-quarantined at their quarters. However, if the Raj Bhavan administration issues instructions, the BMC will make alternative arrangements. The civic body has deployed staff to sanitise Raj Bhavan and will deploy additional medical staff to boost the strength of the in-house medical personnel.
This comes af ter veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, 77, and his son Abhishek Bachchan, 44, were admitted to Nanavati Hospital on Saturday af ter testing positive for coronavirus. Amitabh Bachchan is asymptomatic and stable, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope told The Free Press Journal. Maharashtra - the worst-hit state - registered 7,827 coronavirus cases, with 173 deaths on Sunday. The total number of progressive cases have now surged to 2,54,427, of which 1,40,325 have recovered, 1,03,516 are active and 10,289 are fatalities, with a fatality rate of 4.04% being reported on Sunday.