Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has tested negative for COVID-19
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, 67, and her son, BJP MP Dushyant Singh, 46, have tested negative for the novel coronavirus, the BJP leaders posted on their social media accounts this evening. In her post Mrs Raje said both she and her son would remain in self-isolation for the next 15 days as a "preventive measure".
"After conducting a COVID-19 test, I'm happy to inform you the results came back negative. As a preventive measure, my son and I will continue to be in isolation for 15 days," Mrs Raje said.
Dushyant Singh tweeted: "My COVID-19 report is negative. As a precautionary measure I am currently in isolation and following all medical instructions".
Vasundhara Raje, Dushyant Singh and a number of senior politicians were left worried after it emerged that a dinner they attended in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow earlier this week was also attended by popular Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor.
"While in Lucknow, I attended a dinner with my son Dushyant sand his in-laws. Kanika, who has unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19 was also a guest," Vasundhara Raje said on Friday.
"As a matter of abundant caution, my son and I have immediately self-quarantined and we're taking all necessary precautions," she added.
On Friday Kanika Kapoor had confirmed she had been infected by the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
This morning it was confirmed she had been named in a first information report (FIR) filed by UP Police on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Lucknow. Ms Kapoor has been accused of negligence.
However, she has disputed the police's version of the story, saying she had been screened at Mumbai airport on arrival from London and "no problem was detected". She said she was "unaware that she was carrying coronavirus".
The panic caused by Kanika Kapoor testing positive spread to the upper echelons of power in Delhi as well, with President Ram Nath Kovind cancelling all his appointments; he had met Mrs Raje's son, Dushyant Singh, at a breakfast meeting in Rashtrapati Bhavan after the Lucknow dinner.
Among others at the meeting were former Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore and actor-politician Hema Malini, the BJP MP from Mathura.
Mr Singh also met several members of parliament, leaving a high-profile trail of possible infections.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien also went into self-quarantine, saying: "Two days ago I was sitting with Dushyant Singh for over two-and-a-half hours during the transport standing committee meeting".
Across India over 300 cases have been reported, with at least four deaths linked to the virus.
The government has responded by shutting down international borders and suspending all incoming flights from abroad for a week, starting Sunday. State governments have shut down public spaces like malls and cinemas. Some states have also imposed Section 144 - to ban large gatherings.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a "janata (public) curfew" on Sunday from 7 am to 9 pm to halt the spread of the virus.
The COVID-19 outbreak originated in China's Wuhan district in December last year. Worldwide more than 2.5 lakh people have been infected and the death toll is nearing 10,000, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).