Karnataka CM Bommai, Union Minister Ajay Bhatt test positive for COVID-19

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai and Union Minister of State for Defence and Tourism Ajay Bhatt have tested positive for COVID-19.

Bommai, in a tweet, said, “I have tested positive for COVID -19 today with mild symptoms. My health is fine, I am under home quarantine. I request everyone who have recently come in my contact to isolate themselves and get tested.”

Bhatt, who is also a Member of Parliament from Nainital, also shared the news via a tweet. He wrote, “I have tested positive for Covid with mild symptoms. Have isolated myself at home. Those who came in touch with me in last few days, kindly isolate and get tested.!”

This is the second time Bhatt has tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier in December 2020, he had tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also tested positive on Monday. "I have tested positive for Corona today with mild symptoms. I am under home quarantine," Singh said on Twitter.

He also requested everyone who recently came in contact with him to isolate themselves and get tested.

Several ministers and politicians, including Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal have tested positive during the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases in India, triggered by the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

Today, India reported 1,79,723 new coronavirus cases and 146 fatalities, as per the data from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

The worst-hit states are Maharashtra (44,388 cases), followed by West Bengal (24,287), Delhi (22,751), Tamil Nadu (12,895) and Karnataka (12,000). India has logged 4,033 cases of Omicron so far, as per MoHFW’s data.