No President's Secretariat staffer tested COVID-19 positive, clarifies Rashtrapati Bhavan

"The secretariat along with the local administration is taking all the preventive measures required under the government guidelines," a statement from the Rashtrapati Bhawan read.

New Delhi: It may be clarified that till date no employee of the President's secretariat has tested positive for COVID-19, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique issued on Tuesday (April 21) read after a positive case of coronavirus was detected in the premises leading to hundred families livnig there to go into quarantine.

"The secretariat along with the local administration is taking all the preventive measures required under the government guidelines," it said. 

A COVID-19 positive patient from central Delhi, who was neither an employee of the President's secretariat nor a resident of the President's Estate, died on April 13, 2020, with co-morbidities at the B L Kapoor Hospital in New Delhi, the statement said.

After contact tracing of the deceased, it was found that a family member of an employee of the President's secretariat had been in contact with the deceased, it said.

The employee along with the family are residents of Pocket 1, schedule A area of the President's Estate.

As required under the guidelines, all the seven members of this family were moved to the quarantine facility at Mandir Marg on April 16, the statement said.

"Subsequently, one of the family members who was in contact with the deceased tested positive. All other family members including the employee of the President's secretariat have tested negative," it said.

Following the instructions and guidelines of the authority designated under the Disaster Management Act 2005, read with Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, 115 houses in Pocket 1, schedule A area of the President's Estate were identified for movement restriction and residents have been advised to remain indoors, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. "The residents of these houses are being provided doorstep delivery of essential commodities," it added.

On April 20, the total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi rose to 2,081, with 78 fresh cases and two deaths being reported in a day. The country has been under a lockdown since March 25 to check the spread of the deadly virus. The shutdown will continue till May 3.