Several IAS officers, staff at BRKR Bhavan test positive

At least 20 COVID cases at the temporary secretariat

Hyderabad, Telangana, 09/06/2020: A view of the State Secretariat Burgula Ramakrishna Rao Bhavan, in Hyderabad on June 09, 2020. Panic gripped employees of the State Secretariat at BRKR Bhavan as well as those of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on June 08, when they came to know that three of their colleagues have tested positive for Coronavirus. Photo: Nagara Gopal / The Hindu

The spread of COVID-19 is continuing unabated with close to 20 members at B.R.K.R. Bhavan, the temporary secretariat, testing positive for the virus.

Employees of different departments, including some bureaucrats in Medical and Health, Revenue, Home, Education and General Administration departments, have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Education Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania and Transport, Roads and Buildings Secretary Srinivas Raju are said to be among those who have tested positive.

Health Secretary S.A.M. Rizvi, along with three other staff members, has also been found positive apart from four staffers of the Revenue department, said sources. Making the B.R.K.R Bhavan COVID list longer are three employees of the General Administration department (GAD) who also tested positive on Tuesday. GAD principal secretary Vikas Raj is said to have gone into home isolation.

Two employees of the Information and Public Relations department working in the publicity cell were diagnosed as COVID-positive this morning and were sent for treatment. The temporary secretariat, according to officials, has been witnessing a spike in the COVID-19 cases since the past few days and this impacted the attendance of the staff.