SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said he was going into self-quarantine after a deputy secretary in his office tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday.
"As per coronavirus protocol, I am going to quarantine myself," Thakur told the media late afternoon before leaving his office for his residence.
He then quarantined himself at his official residence at Oakover here.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said the CM's sample was taken for testing for coronavirus infection and his result came negative around 9 pm.
He said the CM's wife and two other family members have also tested negative for the virus.
Dhiman told PTI that a total of 63 samples were taken for testing --36 samples including those of the CM, his staff and security personnel posted at his official residence Oakover; and 27 of officials and other staff at his office in the state secretariat.
While the four results 'of the CM and his family members' were received around 9 pm, the rest would be available in the morning, Dhiman said.
The ACS (Health) said that all the contacts of the deputy secretary in CM's office who has tested positive were already asked to home-quarantine.
Dhiman said the CM's office was fully disinfected and working in the Secretariat will be as usual on Thursday, he said.