One of Paytm employees tested positive for coronavirus in Gurugram | AP photo for representation

A Paytm employee in Gurugram has tested positive for novel coronavirus, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. With this case, the total number of positive cases of the virus in India stand at 29.

Paytm said that the employee had recently returned from a vacation in Italy, one of the worst-hit countries from coronavirus, also known as Covid-19.

Paytm, one of India's leading digital payment banks, on Wednesday decided to shut down its offices in Gurugram and UP's Noida for at least two days in order to sanitise and fumigate the offices. It has advised all its employees to work from home for the next couple of days, according to the statement.

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A Paytm spokesperson said, "One of our colleagues based out of Gurgaon office who recently returned from Italy post a vacation has sadly been tested positive for Coronavirus. He is receiving appropriate treatment and we are extending complete support to his family."

"As a precautionary measure, we have suggested his team members to get health tests done immediately. We have also advised all our colleagues to work from home for a couple of days while we get our offices sanitized. However, there will not be any impact on our daily operations and Paytm services will continue as usual," the company spokesperson added.

The Paytm employee joined office on Monday after he had returned from vacation in Italy. He is right now admitted in Safardarjung hospital. He was taken to the hospital on Wednesday.

CORONAVIRUS SCARE REACHES IT CORRIDOR IN HYDERABAD

The coronavirus scare gripped the IT corridor in Hyderabad on Wednesday with one building in a complex, housing software firms, being vacated for sanitisation for a day as a precautionary measure after an employee there was suspected to having contracted the virus. The other employees were asked to work from home.

The building being vacated triggered rumors, including on social media, about the spread of the virus, forcing the authorities to clarify that operations in the building would resume from Thursday.

State Principal Secretary (IT) Jayesh Ranjan said the IT firm's office in which the techie, who is suspected to have contracted the virus, worked, is located on the ninth floor of the building concerned.

The firm employed 350 people and about 23 were part of the work group in which the techie worked.

All offices in the building would resume working from Thursday, he said.

Observing that some IT firms which are not related to any sort of Covid-19 precautionary measures have also sent their employees home on Wednesday, he said such steps are not warranted.

INDIA'S CORONAVIRUS CASES RISE TO 29, INCLUDING 16 ITALIANS

With the recent case of Paytm employee, the number of positive coronavirus cases in India has risen to 29. Sixteen Italians in India have tested positive for coronavirus, health minister Harsh Vardhan said on Wednesday.

On Monday, the world's second-most populous country had only six reported cases of coronavirus, but it is one of the places US intelligence agencies are most closely monitoring due to fears over how it would cope with a widespread outbreak.

Authorities are increasing screenings at airports and border crossings, and urging citizens to avoid large crowds.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would not attend celebrations for the Hindu Holi festival, scheduled to be held across the country next week.

"Experts across the world have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the [virus] spread," PM Modi said in a tweet on Wednesday. "Hence, this year I have decided not to participate."

Experts across the world have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Hence, this year I have decided not to participate in any Holi Milan programme. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2020

Tested positive/negative for Coronavirus:

An Italian visiting the western desert state of Rajasthan was among those who had tested positive earlier. On Wednesday, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said 16 of 21 tourists from Italy - Europe's worst-affected country - who had been taken to a quarantine facility on the outskirts of New Delhi had tested positive for the virus. Their Indian driver was also placed in quarantine.

Rajasthan government stepped up measures to battle Covid-19 after the 16 Italian tourists tested positive for the infection. The state government has now asked officials to check places visited by this group of Italian tourists and formulate data on the people who might have been infected with the virus.

Samples of six people who came in contact with the Delhi-based man tested positive for Covid-19, tested negative for the infection on Wednesday. The man in question was infected during a recent trip to Italy. He was one among the two people who tested positive for coronavirus

Meanwhile, the MEA informed media outlets on Wednesday that 17 Indians abroad have been infected with coronavirus as per the latest reports.

Suspected Cases:

In Madhya Pradesh, 9 Italian tourists and a tour guide have been quarantined. Similarly, 87 people who returned from Iran have been kept under watch in the state of Gujarat. One patient suspected of coronavirus was admitted to a hospital in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday.

(With inputs from PTI and REUTERS)