Coronavirus: Gurgaon MNCs asked to let employees work from home till March 31

Gurugram multinational corporations (MNCs) have been asked by the Deputy Commissioner's office to allow employees to work from home till March 31 as a precautionary measure to prevent coronavirus. Gurugram, part of National Capital Region (NCR), is home to a host of global companies including Google, Microsoft, Genpact.

The Gurugram administration issued the advisory on Tuesday after a 29-year-old woman who works at an IT firm there was tested positive for coronavirus. It was the first case reported in Gurugram.

"In compliance of the Haryana Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 dated March 11 notified under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, all MNC, IT firms, industries, BPOs, corporate offices situated in Gurugram are advised to allow their office/employees to work from home till March 31, 2020 with immediate effect to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 in larger public interest," the administration said in a statement.

Deputy Commissioner of Gurugram Amit Khatri said that it is only an advisory and not any directive or order. However, the Haryana government has asked schools, colleges, universities, cinemas, gyms, clubs, night clubs till March 31.

Meanwhile, Google has asked all its employees in Asia Pacific including India to work from home."We have been taking precautionary measures, in accordance with the advice of medical experts, to protect the health and safety of our workforce. While our office spaces continue to remain open and safe with temperature screening and significantly enhanced hygiene sanitisation and disinfection schedules to minimise the spread of illnesses. We have moved from voluntary to recommended work from home across all of our offices in Asia Pacific," the company stated.

India has already reported three deaths. The number of total confirmed cases has increased to 147. Out of the 147 cases, 25 are foreign nationals. Total 14 patients have been discharged so far. Global death toll due to the coronavirus outbreak has touched 7,800, with China and Italy accounting for the maximum number of deaths.

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