Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat tweeted this afternoon that he has tested positive for coronavirus, which has affected over 28 lakh people in India since the beginning of the pandemic. He is the sixth Union Minister to test positive for the highly contagious disease.
In his tweet, the 52-year-old minister appealed to all those who have come in contact with him to get tested for COVID-19.
"After noticing some symptoms, I got tested for coronavirus. My result has come out to be positive. I am getting admitted to a hospital on doctors' advice. I appeal to all those who have come in contact me in the last few days to isolate themselves and get tested. All of you please stay healthy and take care," Mr Shekhawat wrote in Hindi.
Mr Shekhawat had met Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar over the Satluj Yamuna Link issue on Tuesday.
He will be admitted to Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon near Delhi for COVID-19 treatment, his office said.
Earlier this month, Union Minister Amit Shah had tested positive for coronavirus.
Among other ministers who have contracted the virus so far are Ayush Minister Shirpad Naik, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Dharmendra Pradhan. Lav Agarwal, who was leading the central government's news conferences on COVID-19, had also tested positive.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa were among other top politicians who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last few weeks.
Across India, over 20 lakh Covid patients have recovered so far. The country recorded its biggest single-day jump of nearly 70,000 cases this morning.
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