<p>As many as 25 officials of the Ministry of Labour and Employment tested positive for COVID-19 this week, taking the number of infected employees in the ministry to 36, according to a source.</p>.<p>Some family members of the officials have also tested positive for coronavirus infection, the source said.</p>.<p>"As many as 25 officials in the labour ministry tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier 11 persons in the ministry were tested positive," the source said.</p>.<p>As many as six infected persons are from personal staff of Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar.</p>.<p>The officials in the ministry are being tested for COVID-19 after two of its employees found positive last week, which led to the closure of Shram Shakti Bhawan that houses the ministry for two days to June 5 for sanitisation. The number of infected persons in the ministry increased to 11 by Sunday.</p>.<p>The source also said that the top brass of the ministry is making a case for sealing the building for thorough sanitisation again and home quarantining the staff working in the ministries housed in the building.</p>.<p>Though Shram Shakti Bhawan was sealed on June 4 and 5, the Ministry of Power had called its staff on June 5 for some work, the source said.</p>.<p>Therefore, it was decided not to open the building on June 8. However, some officials of the labour ministry visited the office on June 8 also. The building remained open for officials thereafter.</p>.<p>Among the 11 officials found infected earlier, there was a joint secretary, a steno, a principal private secretary, a private secretary, six multi-task assistants and a driver in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.</p>.<p>The closure of the building for two days was part of standard operating procedure for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the SOP, if two or more employees are found COVID-19 positive then the entire building housing any ministry or department is sealed for sanitisation. </p>
<p>As many as 25 officials of the Ministry of Labour and Employment tested positive for COVID-19 this week, taking the number of infected employees in the ministry to 36, according to a source.</p>.<p>Some family members of the officials have also tested positive for coronavirus infection, the source said.</p>.<p>"As many as 25 officials in the labour ministry tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier 11 persons in the ministry were tested positive," the source said.</p>.<p>As many as six infected persons are from personal staff of Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar.</p>.<p>The officials in the ministry are being tested for COVID-19 after two of its employees found positive last week, which led to the closure of Shram Shakti Bhawan that houses the ministry for two days to June 5 for sanitisation. The number of infected persons in the ministry increased to 11 by Sunday.</p>.<p>The source also said that the top brass of the ministry is making a case for sealing the building for thorough sanitisation again and home quarantining the staff working in the ministries housed in the building.</p>.<p>Though Shram Shakti Bhawan was sealed on June 4 and 5, the Ministry of Power had called its staff on June 5 for some work, the source said.</p>.<p>Therefore, it was decided not to open the building on June 8. However, some officials of the labour ministry visited the office on June 8 also. The building remained open for officials thereafter.</p>.<p>Among the 11 officials found infected earlier, there was a joint secretary, a steno, a principal private secretary, a private secretary, six multi-task assistants and a driver in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.</p>.<p>The closure of the building for two days was part of standard operating procedure for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the SOP, if two or more employees are found COVID-19 positive then the entire building housing any ministry or department is sealed for sanitisation. </p>