Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai Tests Positive For COVID-19

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai was shifted to Delhi's Max hospital hours after he tested positive for the coronavirus disease early Wednesday morning. Officials said that the move was just a precautionary measure, and that the Aam Aadmi Party leader's health was stable.

Taking to Twitter, Mr Rai had urged all those who came in contact with him to "take care and get themselves tested".

"I got a coronavirus test was done after experiencing initial symptoms. My report shows I am Covid-positive. I urge all those who came in contact with me over the last few days to get tested and please take care of themselves," Mr Rai wrote in Hindi.

शुरुआती लक्षणों के बाद कोरोना टेस्ट कराया था जिसकी रिपोर्ट पॉजिटिव आई है। पिछले कुछ दिनों में जो लोग भी मेरे संर्पक में आए हैं कृपया वो अपना ध्यान रखें और टेस्ट करवा लें।

— Gopal Rai (@AapKaGopalRai) November 26, 2020

Gopal Rai is the third minister in the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government to have tested positive for the highly viral disease.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Health Minister Satyendar Jain had contracted COVID-19 in September and June, respectively.

Mr Rai is among the state ministers who have been at the forefront of Delhi's fight against COVID-19, backing the government with strict enforcement of air pollution-control measures - open garbage burning - and adoption of environmentally friendly ways to dispose of paddy stubble, like the indigenously developed bio-decomposer.

Delhi is experiencing a third and severe wave of COVID-19 infections compounded by toxic levels of air pollution. This has increased pressure on the capital's hospitals with Delhi government urging centre for 1,000 more beds for Covid patients.

COVID-19 affects the lungs, and national and international medical experts have repeatedly underlined the link between bad air, severity of Covid cases and deaths.

Almost 100 Covid patients in Delhi have lost their lives every day for the past week even though the daily case count seems to be falling.

Delhi reported 5,246 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours with 99 deaths, taking its tally to 5.45 lakh with more than 8,700 fatalities.

So far, India has recorded more than 96.2 lakh cases of COVID-19 with 1.3 lakh deaths.