New Delhi: India’s Defence secretary Ajay Kumar has been tested positive for Covid-19 and is under home quarantine, reports said. The 1985 batch IAS officer was tested after developing mild fever and the results came on Tuesday.

At least 35 officials working at the ministry”s headquarters in South Block in the Raisina Hills have been sent on home quarantine after reports of Kumar testing positive for the infection emerged on Wednesday, said reports.

There was no official comment on Kumar”s health condition. The defence ministry spokesperson refused to comment on the issue.

Sanitisation of office underway

According to reports, the defence ministry is carrying out massive contact-tracing while sanitization of first floor of South Block is being done.

Several top officials have their offices on the first floor including the defence minister, the army chief, the navy chief and a string of bureaucrats.

Kumar is the first top government official to test positive for the disease.

Top officials skip office in South Block

After the reports of Kumar reportedly tested positive came in the corridors of South Block, many top Ministry of Defence officers did not attend their office. It was also reported that Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also did not attend the office, reported IANS.

Meanwhile, the total number of cases in the country has now reached 216,615 including 101,497 active cases, 100,303 cured/discharged/migrated, and 5,815 deaths.