New Delhi: Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal, who has for long been the face of the government’s communication on Covid-19, has himself tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
In a tweet Friday evening, Agarwal said: “Dear All, Just to inform that I have tested positive for Covid-19 and initiating home isolation as per guidelines. Requesting all my friends, colleagues for self monitoring. Contact tracing will be done by the Health Team. Hoping to see everyone soon.”
Dear All,Just to inform that I have tested positive for Covid 19 and initiating home isolation as per guidelines. Requesting all my friends, colleagues for self monitoring. Contact tracing will be done by Health Team. Hoping to see everyone soon.
— lavagarwal (@lavagarwal) August 14, 2020
Agarwal, 48, is a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre. He has been constantly present at the central government’s various Covid-19 briefings since they started in March.
He has been attending office regularly and also addressed this week’s Covid briefing at the National Media Centre Tuesday alongside Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan.
This is the first case of Covid on the first floor of the health ministry in Nirman Bhawan, where senior officers, including the secretary, sit. There have been multiple times when officers there have been tested for Covid in the last few months.
Agarwal has been to several hotspot states, including Maharashtra and West Bengal, as part of various central teams. His last visit was to Bihar a couple of weeks ago.
Also read: Lav Agarwal, a ‘reticent’ IIT grad, Andhra IAS officer who’s the face of India’s Covid fight