Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tests COVID-19 positive

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. Singh is currently under home quarantine with mild symptoms. The Defence Minister has been advised rest after a team of doctors examined him. 

He was slated to attend the Indian Air Force Commanders’ Conference in Delhi today but had to skip it. An official statement read: "He was scheduled to attend the Indian Air Force Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi on Thursday but will skip it after being tested positive for the virus.”

The Defence Minister attended the Army Commanders conference on Wednesday where Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande and other senior Army officers were also present. Singh practiced firing on small arms firing simualtor, news agency ANI reported. 

Meanwhile, India reported 12,591 new COVID-19 infections today, an increase of nearly 20 per cent from Wednesday. The country’s active caseload now stands at 65,286 cases and the death toll climbed to 5,31,230, the Health Ministry data read. 

While the daily positivity rate stood at 5.46 per cent, the weekly positivity rate was pegged at 5.32 per cent. 

(With agency inputs)

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