Financial services major Kotak Mahindra Group on Thursday said it will reimburse its employees and their family members for Covid-19 (coronavirus) test.

The group, which runs private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank, has nearly 60,000 employees.

'All employees or immediate family members that are advised to go for COVID-19 testing will have the cost of the test done through private labs reimbursed to them,' it said in a statement.

Earlier this week, the government had allowed select private sector entities to start testing for the dreaded virus, which has taken 13 lives in India and infected over 600 people.

During the lockdown, the working hours for branches have been reduced to between 1000-1400 hrs as there is a limited number of staff working, the statement said.

Wherever required, fumigation or sanitisation of offices and branches is being undertaken, it added.

It's chief executive Uday Kotak had earlier this week said that we are entering 'unchartered waters' with the coronavirus outbreak.

'Nobody can predict how or when this will end, and what shape the world will be then,' Kotak had written to employees, asking them to be vigilant and prepared.