Vice President Venkaiah Naidu tests positive for COVID-19
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday tested positive for COVID-19. The 71-year-old had been found positive for the novel coronavirus during a routine test for the viral disease. Naidu, who is also the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, was actively involved in the Parliament's monsoon session before it was cut short by eight days due to the COVID-19 situation. Here are more details.
Naidu is asymptomatic; in good health: VP's office
The official Twitter handle of the Vice President of India tweeted on Tuesday, "The Vice President of India who underwent a routine COVID-19 test today morning has been tested positive. He is, however, asymptomatic and in good health." The tweet added, "He has been advised home quarantine. His wife Smt. Usha Naidu has been tested negative and is in self-isolation."
You can view the tweet here
Naidu latest amid string of prominent politicians to contract COVID-19
Since the beginning of the outbreak, several prominent politicians have tested positive for the virus. Former President Pranab Mukherjee, who died in August, had tested positive for the coronavirus. Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Shripad Naik, Dharmendra Pradhan, Kailash Choudhary, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Shekhawat have also tested positive. Last week, Union Minister Suresh Angadi died after contracting COVID-19. He was 65.
India reports 61.45 lakh cases; over 96,000 dead
According to the Union Health Ministry, as of 8 am on Tuesday, India reported a total of 61,45,292 COVID-19 cases, after witnessing a spike of 70,589 new cases in the past 24 hours. The total cases include 9,47,576 active infections while 51,01,397 patients have recovered. The death toll also climbed to 96,318 with 776 new deaths being reported in the past one day.
