Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. He urged all those who had come in contact with him over the past week to self-isolate and get tested.
“I was tested for novel coronavirus today,” he tweeted. “My test report has returned positive. I appeal to all colleagues and associates who came in my contact over the last week to get themselves tested. I request my close contacts to move into strict quarantine immediately.”
Earlier in the day, state Health Minister Anil Vij said Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and two MLAs also tested positive, PTI reported. Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa will preside over the House proceedings on August 26.
Apart from Khattar, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit had also contracted the infection.
Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Meghwal and Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary have also tested positive for the disease. Shah tested negative for the infection on August 14 but was hospitalised again on August 18 for post-coronavirus care. Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry Lav Agarwal, who led the Centre’s daily Covid-19 briefings in the initial months of the pandemic, also tested positive for the infection on August 14.
India’s coronavirus tally on Monday rose to 31,06,348 cases after the country reported 61,408 new infections in 24 hours. The country’s toll rose by 836 to 57,542.
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