Union Home Minister Amit Shah tests positive for COVID-19

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), news agencies reported on Sunday. He is currently being admitted to the hospital.

The minister himself confirmed the news from his official handle on Twitter. He said that due to early symptoms coronavirus, he went for test and the test result came positive. Although his health is fine, he will get himself admitted to the hospital on the advice of doctors, Shah said.

He also urged those who came into close contact with him in the past few days to get themselves tested for the virus.

"On getting the initial symptoms of coronavirus, I got the test done and the report came back positive. My health is fine, but I am being admitted to the hospital on the advice of doctors. I request that all of you who have come in contact with me in the last few days, please isolate yourself and get your tests done," Shah tweeted out in Hindi.

कोरोना के शुरूआती लक्षण दिखने पर मैंने टेस्ट करवाया और रिपोर्ट पॉजिटिव आई है। मेरी तबीयत ठीक है परन्तु डॉक्टर्स की सलाह पर अस्पताल में भर्ती हो रहा हूँ। मेरा अनुरोध है कि आप में से जो भी लोग गत कुछ दिनों में मेरे संपर्क में आयें हैं, कृपया स्वयं को आइसोलेट कर अपनी जाँच करवाएं।

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 2, 2020

Meanwhile, India has witnessed a huge single-day spike of 54,735 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking its tally over the 17.50 lakh mark, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

With this latest spike, the total cases in the country stand at 17,50,724. Among these cases 5,67,730 are active. A total of 11,45,630 patients have been cured/discharged/migrated.