Maharashtra: 68 personnel at CBI Mumbai office test positive for COVID; 235 were tested

As Maharashtra continues to see a surge in COVID-19 cases, as many as 68 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) employees working out of its Mumbai based Bandra-Kurla Complex office reported positive for the infection on Saturday. The CBI had asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to test 235 persons working at the office. 

"From this lot of 235 personnel, which includes officials, 68 have tested positive. The infected ones have been asked to home quarantine," an official of the Central agency said. 

New COVID guidelines in Maharashtra

The daily caseload of the state has been steadily increasing and with 41,434 fresh cases, the state breached the 40,000-mark. Of the total count, state Capital- Mumbai alone reported 20,318 fresh COVID-19 cases during the last 24 hours.In the wake of the rising COVID cases, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray convened a meeting, in which the new guidelines were chalked out. The guidelines will come into effect from January 10. 

• Night curfew has been imposed, no movement from 11 PM to 5 AM, except for essential purposes
• No movement in groups of 5 or more from 5 AM to 11 PM 
• Schools and colleges will remain shut till February 15
• Private offices to operate at a 50% capacity
• Restaurants, shopping malls and auditoriums have been asked to function at 50% capacity from 8 AM to 10 PM. Home delivery allowed 24*7
• Malls and market to function with 50%
• Only fully vaccinated people will be allowed in cinemas and auditoriums
• Gyms, beauty salons will remain closed but hair cutting salons will function at 50% capacity between 7 AM and 10 PM every day.
• Parks, zoos, museums and all other tourist places will remain closed
• Sporting events are to be deferred except for national and international level competitions which have already been scheduled.
• Maximum 50 people allowed at wedding events, 20 at funerals
• For domestic travels, double vaccination or negative RT-PCR test report valid from up to 72 hours of the time of the arrival in the state is mandatory
•  No change in local trains as all public transport will function as usual but only fully vaccinated people will be allowed

Image: PTI