Covid on the prowl

Hyderabad: A day after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao stated that Covid spread in the State was under control and people should maintain self-regulation, the State recorded 2,983 fresh cases. Even a few IAS officials, who were present at the Cabinet meeting at Pragathi Bhavan on Monday, tested positive. It is learnt that nearly 30 officials working in BRK Bhavan tested positive.

Among those officers are: Secretary to GAD (General Administration Department) Vikas Raj and Education Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania. Both were present at the Cabinet meeting and were maintaining self-regulation.

They are under home isolation and their condition is stable.

A few important officials of the R&B department are also said to have tested positive but with mild symptoms. They were also present at the Cabinet meeting venue to assist their minister with information.

Following this, all the ministers and other top officials have been asked to go for corona tests as a precautionary measure. The staff in the Chief Minister Office have already undergone medical tests on Tuesday morning.

In view of this, the Sanitation wing swung into action and took up sanitisation of offices in BRK Bhavan.

Sources said that the recent regular meetings between Secretaries and the district cadre employees on transfers could be one of the main reasons for the fast spread of corona virus in BRK Bhavan. "All restrictions imposed on the free movement of visitors were lifted in BRK Bhavan recently. There was no monitoring of wearing face masks and hand sanitization at the entrance of the Secretariat. The Secretariat Employees Association requested the government to permit the employees with comorbidities to work from home during the crisis time.