Paytm says employee in Gurgaon tests positive for coronavirus

A Paytm employee in Gurgaon has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the company said in a statement on Wednesday, advising its employees to work from home for the next couple of days.

It said the infected employee had recently returned from a vacation in Italy, one of the worst-hit countries from coronavirus.

“Paytm has advised all its employees to work from home for the next couple of days while the Gurgaon unit gets sanitised,” the statement said, adding its daily operations will not be impacted.

Related news | India’s coronavirus fight turns uphill due to Gulf, SE Asia contagion

“One of our colleagues based out of Gurgaon office who recently returned from Italy post a vacation has sadly been tested positive for Coronavirus. He is receiving appropriate treatment. As a precautionary measure, we have suggested his team members to get health tests done immediately,” a Paytm spokesperson said.

“We have also advised all our colleagues to work from home for a couple of days while we get our offices sanitized. However, there will not be any impact on our daily operations and Paytm services will continue as usual,” the spokesperson added.

As concerns mounted over the spike in coronavirus cases, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday (March 4) formed a task force and said efforts are on to screen the people who came in contact with the infected Delhi man and 16 Italian tourists, while many resident welfare associations and schools in the city and its outskirts cancelled events involving gatherings.

Related news | Tourism bears brunt of coronavirus: 600 cancellations at Agra hotel

“Isolation wards in 19 government and six private hospitals are being readied in case of need across the national capital and thermal scanning of all passengers landing from abroad is being conducted at the airport,” Kejriwal said.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said a state-level task force headed by him has been formed to tackle the emerging situation and there is no need to panic. “We are concerned about the situation but there is no need to panic. We are doing whatever we can to check the coronavirus from spreading… members of all the important departments in Delhi, state officials, and police officials have been included in the task force,” he said.

A coronavirus testing lab will be set up at the Lady Hardinge Hospital and also at the LNJP Hospital if necessary, the chief minister said.