Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and three cabinet colleagues were forced into self-quarantine Monday. This happened following a meeting last week with Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj. The minister tested positive for coronavirus, Sunday with 21 others including his wife officials informed Monday. Others who contracted the infection are Satpal Maharaj’s family members and staff.
Maharaj had attended Friday a meeting of the Uttarakhand Cabinet. The state health department said there was no need for the ministers and officials who attended Friday’s meeting to isolate themselves, going by the Centre’s guidelines.
“The ministers and officials fall into the category of low risk contacts. They were not in close contact with Maharaj. They can function in a normal way and there is no need to quarantine them,” state Health Secretary Amit Negi said.
But the CM and the three other ministers – Harak Singh Rawat, Madan Kaushik and Subodh Uniyal – decided to remain in self- quarantine. This was done as a precautionary measure, an official at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said. “They will remain in self- quarantine at least for the next few days during which they will be tested for COVID-19,” he informed. “Whether or not they resume normal day-to-day functions in a few days will depend on what their test reports say,” he added.
Maharaj’s wife Amrita Rawat tested positive for the infection, Saturday. Their two sons, daughters-in-law and a one-and-a-half-year-old grandson were among the others found infected.
PTI
