Virus scare at city BJP office, Elante store shut

Sandeeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 25

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Three Covid-19 cases have spread fear in Elante Mall, Sector-33 BJP office and UT’s Estate Office. The BJP office has been closed since July 22.

The Estate Office staff was taken aback after a woman senior assistant’s husband was found Covid positive. Official sources said her husband was ill for the last few days and she was taking him to hospital. He tested positive yesterday. The woman employee is a resident of Sector 23.

Around five staff members, who used to work with her, have been home quarantined. This includes clerks and assistants. Some staff members are from Punjab and some from Chandigarh.

Meanwhile, the Estate Office was sanitised today. However, scared staff members said the office should be closed for a few days. “Sanitation is not a solution. We should close the office for a few days so that employees stay home. If they have any symptoms, there will be no chance of further transmission of infection,” said an official.

“Many employees work in the Estate Office, which also has the office of Deputy Commissioner Mandip Brar. Meanwhile, Assistant Estate Officer Manish Lohan did not respond to repeated phone calls.

An official said there was no need to close the Estate Office because as per the new guidelines it was closed for 48 hours. Besides, the office remained closed on Saturday and Sunday too, he added.

A 23-year-old worker of a popular store in Elante Mall has also tested positive for the disease. The Behlana resident was into preparing credit cards and managing other bank-related services. His contacts in Behlana have already been home quarantined.

According to official statement from Elante Mall, “A third party employee manning a kiosk at the store has tested positive today. He last visited the mall on July 19 when his Aarogya Setu app was checked and his body temperature was normal.”

Senior UT officials, who visited the store, are doing the needful.

“We saw UT officials at the store. We are scared as we visited the store for shopping,” said a shopper over phone.

“Acting on the instructions from the authorities, we have asked all the staff manning the store to self quarantine immediately and get themselves tested at hospital. All these staff members will have to provide a medical certificate before resuming duty. The premises of the store concerned will be thoroughly sanitised and disinfected before it reopens,” added officials at Elante Mall.

BJP members worried

Members of the BJP are also worried after local unit president Arun Sood’s wife tested Covid positive yesterday.

Sood, who has been in the field since March when lockdown was imposed, told Chandigarh Tribune, “I believe that I am the carrier. She got infected from me. I had the symptoms. I tested negative due to immunity, but she tested positive. She was not able to feel the taste of jaggery and gulab jal before test.”

Since, Sood was actively involved in party activities as there were few virtual rallies at the Sector-33 BJP office and other people centric events, he met several leaders and people.

One of the partymen said he also felt symptoms for a few days, but was fine now. All, who met Sood, have been advised home quarantine and to undergo test.