LAHORE: Cleaning and disinfection of courts and offices at the Lahore High Court (LHC) has been intensified after one of its two employees quarantined at home tested positive for Covid-19.

The two were asked to quarantine themselves at their homes since they developed symptoms of the novel virus, including flu and fever. Their tests were also conducted from the government lab, an official told Dawn.

The infected employee belonged to the IT branch and had high mobility in the high court premises due to the nature of his job. Therefore, the official said, all the courts and offices were being disinfected almost daily.

He said all departments in the LHC were already working with limited staff to control the spread of the coronavirus.

The urgent cell of the LHC had been evacuated and its staff stationed at an alternate place to entertain institution of new cases. The court had already approved e-filing of petitions under measures related to the lockdown. Disinfection tunnels had been installed at all entrances to the high court, while hand sanitiser was made available at various points on the premises.

The official said the entire staff of Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan and senior puisne judge Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti had been tested for coronavirus and their results had come out negative, he maintained.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2020