New Delhi, April 20 (IANS) Two days after an engineer working with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) tested positive for Covid-19, the civic body has decided to hold back an order making attendance in offices compulsory from Monday.

According to several officials in NDMC, a message instructing 100 per cent attendance in offices from Monday was circulated before the engineer tested positive.

The order was, however, not issued. "It was unanimously decided that all departments with 100 per cent staff strength will function from Monday, April 20, 2020. Hence all the staff are required to attend office without fail," the message received by employees of the civic body read.

But with the engineer's test report returning positive on Saturday, the civic body has now decided to call off the decision and has informed the staff personally about the decision.

"I got a call from my HoD saying that I don't need to report to work until further notice," an employee in the health and sanitation department of NDMC told IANS.

Another staff member who came in contact with the engineer also left an email with his HoD seeking direction on coming to office. Some other officials, however, reached office on Monday morning, only to return back to their homes.
The District Magistrate of New Delhi district claimed that only 19 individuals were identified to have come in contact with the engineer and all have been told to observe self-quarantine.

"Presently there are 19 established contacts. Of these, 10 met him more than 14 days back. Of the remaining nine, five are high risk contacts and they have been put on quarantine. The rest have been instructed for self observation," Tanvi Garg, District Magistrate of New Delhi district, told IANS.

Sources told IANS that among the 19 traced contacts, one is the driver of the engineer, another is a staff in the dispensary of NDMC, while the rest are staff of NDMC building.

The entire NDMC building located near Jantar Mantar in the heart of the national capital was disinfected on Saturday. According to senior officials in the NDMC, the engineer showed symptoms of flu on Thursday and was immediately taken for testing.

--IANS rag/arm