MP: Shivraj tests +ve for Covid-19, is hospitalised
First CM to contract virus
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday announced on Twitter on Saturday that he has contracted novel coronavirus. Mr Chouhan is the first chief minister in the country to get infected by the virus. “I got Covid-19 symptoms and, after a test, my samples tested positive. I am following guidelines and will quarantine myself according to the doctor’s advice,” a Twitter post by him said.
Later, in another Twitter post, Mr Chouhan said that he was being admitted to the hospital as per doctor’s recommendation.
He appealed to his ministerial colleagues and others who came in contact with him to get their test done.
“I appeal to the people of my state to be careful. A little carelessness may invite coronavirus. I had taken all precautionary measures to protect me from the virus, but people used to meet me on many issues”, another Twitter post by him said.
Sources close to the chief minister told this newspaper that Mr
Chouhan had earlier gotten himself tested five times for coronavirus. But all his earlier samples tested negative.
However, his latest sample tested positive. Mr Chouhan had presided over the state Cabinet meeting two days back and also travelled to Lucknow in a state plane along with state minister Arvind Bhadoria, state BJP president V.D. Sharma and state organising secretary of BJP Suhash Bhagat on July 21 to pay homage to MP governor Lalji Tandon, who passed away in Uttar Pradesh’s capital.
Mr Bhadoria had tested positive for Covid-19 on July 22. As many as seven MLAs of MP have so far tested positive for coronavirus. Mr Chouhan authorised his ministerial colleagues Narottam Mishra, Viswas Sarang, Bhupendra Singh and Prabhuram Choudhury to take joint responsibility of the administration in his absence.