Aviation ministry employee tests positive for coronavirus

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday said one of its employees who attended office on April 15 has tested positive for COVID-19.

All colleagues, who came in contact with the employee, have been asked to go into self-isolation as a precautionary measure, it said.

The B-block of Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, where the office of the Civil Aviation Ministry is located, has been sealed for three days as it has to be sanitised thoroughly, senior government officials said.

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"All rooms, corridors and offices of B-block will be sanitised thoroughly during the next three days," they said.

"An employee of the ministry who had attended office on April 15, 2020, has tested positive for COVID-19 on April 21. All necessary protocols are being stringently followed on the premises," the ministry tweeted.

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"Government of Delhi is seized of the matter. They are taking appropriate steps as per the laid protocol for contact tracing and risk profiling," it said.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, in a tweet said, "We stand by our colleague at Ministry of Civil Aviation who has tested positive for COVID-19 and have extended all possible medical help and support."

"Those in contact have also been asked to follow the laid down procedures. I wish him strength and speedy recovery," he said.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to combat the spread of coronavirus, which has infected more than 20,000 people in the country. More than 600 people have died due to the deadly virus.