Coronavirus: Dharmendra Pradhan becomes second Union Minister to test positive
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday said that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The 51-year-old has been admitted to the Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, Haryana. Pradhan, who is the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Steel, is the second Union Minister to have contracted the virus after Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Here are more details.
Got tested after noticing symptoms: Pradhan
Pradhan wrote on Twitter on Tuesday, "After noticing symptoms of COVID-19, I got myself tested and the report was positive." "On doctor's advice, I have been hospitalized. I am healthy," the Minister added. Both Pradhan and Shah have been admitted to the Gurugram's Medanta Hospital. Reportedly, the Minister had been in isolation after officials from his staff had tested positive.
You can view Pradhan's tweet here
Several politicians have recently come forth with diagnosis
In the past few days, several prominent politicians have tested positive for COVID-19. The Home Minister had tested positive on Sunday after displaying symptoms of the viral infection. The same day, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh had tested positive. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also contracted the infection.
18.5 lakh cases reported across India; nearly 39,000 dead
As of Tuesday morning, the Health Ministry reported a total of 18,55,745 COVID-19 cases, including 38,938 deaths, 5,86,298 active cases, and 12,30,509 recoveries. Over the past week, the number of daily new cases has remained above 50,000 after witnessing the outbreak's worst phase yet through July. India remains the world's third worst-hit country in the outbreak after the United States and Brazil.
Declining death rate reflects positive trend
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan pointed out that 50% of all deaths due to the viral disease are among the age group of 60 years and above. 37% of the deaths fell in the age group 45-60 years, Bhushan added. Further, he said that India's death rate dropped to 2.10%, the lowest since the first lockdown in March.
