Mantralaya to remain shut after 4 test Covid positive, officials asked to work from home

The Maharashtra secretariat or Mantralaya will remain shut for the next two days after four employees tested positive for Coronavirus, an official said on Tuesday. The affected employees of the state government department have been shifted to a state-run hospital for further treatment, he said. Mantralaya is currently working with thin attendance in view of the Coronavirus-enforced lockdown.

In a circular, Additional Chief Secretary (Services), General Administration, Sitaram Kunte, stated that the Mantralaya would remain closed on April 29 and 30 for sanitisation. The general administration department has announced to undertake sanitisation work in the entire building, the official added.

The premises are now set to open only on May 4, a day after the second phase of the nationwide lockdown is expected to end. Mantralaya is currently working with thin attendance in view of the Coronavirus-enforced lockdown. According to reports, top officials have been instructed to work from home and for unavoidable office work, senior officials have been asked to work from Sahyadri, the state guest house.

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Earlier, the Maharashtra government had banned the entry of people without masks to Mantrlaya. The state government has been functioning on 5% work power for the last two weeks.

Issuing an official order, the state government stated that the people without masks will not be allowed to enter the Mantralaya. The decision is also applicable to all the employees of the state government who are currently asked to come to the office, said an official.

READ | Maharashtra Reports 729 Fresh COVID-19 Cases; 31 New Casualties Propel Death Toll To 400

COVID-19 in Maharashtra 

729 fresh novel Coronavirus cases were reported in Maharashtra on Tuesday, taking the state's total tally to 9,318. With 6,169 cases and 244 deaths, Mumbai remains a major COVID-19 hotspot in the state. After 106 patients were discharged in the day, the number of recovered persons has increased to 1,388. Maharashtra's death toll surged to 400 as 31 individuals passed away due to COVID-19 in the day. 

Meanwhile, Presently, there are 29,974 confirmed novel Coronavirus cases in India out of which 7,027 persons have recovered while 937 casualties have been reported. 

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READ | Maharashtra Bans Entry Of People Without Masks To Mantralaya Amid Coronavirus Outbreak