Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, ANI reported, citing his office. Jain was admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital on Tuesday for fever and a sudden drop in his oxygen levels, but initially tested negative for the virus. However, he underwent a second test on Wednesday as he continued to feel unwell.
Aam Aadmi Party Kalkaji MLA Atishi was on Wednesday diagnosed positive for the coronavirus. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal retweeted an India Today journalist, expressing hope that Atishi would recover soon. Atishi had been working with Delhi government’s health department to contain the spread of the virus, NDTV reported.
A tweet by AAP’s Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj revealed that the party’s media panelist Akshay Marathe had also tested positive for the virus. Both Atishi and Marathe are now under home isolation.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had last week been tested for Covid-19, after he developed a sore throat and fever. However, the test returned negative. Kejriwal is also diabetic.
Delhi is one the regions worst-affected by Covid-19 in the country. As of Wednesday, the state had reported 44,688 cases, including 1,837 deaths, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. There have been over 1,000 cases in Delhi each day during this month. On Tuesday, the state reported over 2,100 cases.
The high and rising number of infections has prompted the Centre to intervene, directing the Delhi government to install CCTV cameras in all coronavirus wards, establishing secondary canteens to provide food at hospitals, and proposing psycho-social counselling of nurses and doctors engaged in treatment of coronavirus patients, among other measures.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!