PIB Chief Dhatiwala tests positive for COVID-19

New Delhi, June 08: Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau K S Dhatwalia has tested positive for Covid-19 and admitted to AIIMS, sources said on Sunday.

Dhatwalia, who by virtue of heading the PIB, is also principal spokesperson to the central government.

He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) trauma centre at 7 pm, 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, has been closed and will remain shut on Monday as the entire building will be sanitised, official sources said.

The NMC is likely to remain closed on Tuesday 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 the holding of press conferences, will take place in the Shastri Bhawan till the NMC is completely sanitised and reopened, the sources said.

Dhatwalia had on Wednesday 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.