COVID-19: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tests positive 'with mild symptoms'
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said he has tested positive for COVID-19. Taking to Twitter, Singh said he has "mild symptoms" and is currently under home quarantine. "I request everyone who have recently come in my contact to isolate themselves and get tested (sic)," Singh tweeted. Several politicians and ministers have been infected with the virus in the last few days.
Why does this story matter?
Since the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron variant, India has been witnessing a rapid surge in coronavirus cases in what is being called the "third wave" of COVID-19. On Monday, India reported a whopping 1.79 lakh COVID-19 cases with a daily positivity rate of 13.29%. Meanwhile, India's Omicron tally has also reached 4,033, with cases being detected in 27 states and union territories.
Singh addressed public rallies last week
The development comes as Singh was seen addressing public rallies in poll-bound Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh last week. Singh had addressed a "Vijay Sankalp Yatra" at Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand on January 6. On January 5, he was seen at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow. Notably, both Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are going to the polls next month.
Several politicians infected in third wave
Meanwhile, many politicians and ministers have tested positive for the coronavirus recently. On Sunday, Union Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar tweeted he had been infected. "And after succeeding in avoiding COVID-19 for last 21 months, it finally catches up with me today as I tested +ve today (sic)," Chandrasekhar wrote. On January 4, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had tested COVID-19 positive.
Other political leaders who tested positive for coronavirus
Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar and junior Home Minister Nityanand Rai tested positive last week along with Bihar's Deputy Chief Ministers Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi. Other politicians who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last few days include Trinamool Congress's Babul Supriyo, Congress's Randeep Surjewala, Maharashtra minister Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant, and Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey.
