Senior Press Information Bureau Official Tests Positive For COVID-19

Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau KS Dhatwalia tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted to AIIMS, sources said on Monday.

He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) trauma centre at 7 pm on Sunday, they said. AIIMS trauma centre is a dedicated COVID-19 hospital.

There was no official word on his health condition.

The National Media Centre, where his office is located, remained closed on Monday, as the entire building was sanitised, official sources said.

The NMC was likely to remain closed on June 9 as well and a massive contact tracing exercise is being carried out in accordance with the standard protocol, they said.

All activities of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), including holding of press conferences, will take place in the Shastri Bhawan till the NMC is completely sanitised and reopened, the sources said.

Mr Dhatwalia had on June 3 shared the stage with Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prakash Javadekar when they had briefed the media on the decisions taken by the Cabinet.

“As advised by the JS (Joint Secretary), I&B (Information and Broadcasting Ministry), the National Media Centre will remain closed on 8th June, 2020 for extensive sanitisation. Officers/staff are requested not to attend office at the NMC and should work from home. Any Press Conference required to be held, will be held at the Conference Hall, 1st floor, Shastri Bhawan,” an official communique read.

Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau KS Dhatwalia tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted to AIIMS, sources said on Monday.

He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) trauma centre at 7 pm on Sunday, they said. AIIMS trauma centre is a dedicated COVID-19 hospital.

There was no official word on his health condition.

The National Media Centre, where his office is located, remained closed on Monday, as the entire building was sanitised, official sources said.

The NMC was likely to remain closed on June 9 as well and a massive contact tracing exercise is being carried out in accordance with the standard protocol, they said.

All activities of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), including holding of press conferences, will take place in the Shastri Bhawan till the NMC is completely sanitised and reopened, the sources said.

Mr Dhatwalia had on June 3 shared the stage with Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Prakash Javadekar when they had briefed the media on the decisions taken by the Cabinet.

“As advised by the JS (Joint Secretary), I&B (Information and Broadcasting Ministry), the National Media Centre will remain closed on 8th June, 2020 for extensive sanitisation. Officers/staff are requested not to attend office at the NMC and should work from home. Any Press Conference required to be held, will be held at the Conference Hall, 1st floor, Shastri Bhawan,” an official communique read.