Another state minister tests +ve for Covid-19

Aurangabad: A minister in the state cabinet, along with five of his staffers, tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday, making him the third minister in Maharashtra to have contracted the disease.

The two ministers who had tested positive for coronavirus earlier have been discharged from hospital after recovery.

State health minister Rajesh Tope said the minister was admitted to the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai as he was suffering from breathing problem.

Tope said the minister was a part of Tuesday’s state cabinet meeting, which was virtually attended by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. “The social distancing rule was followed by the cabinet and there is not need for testing any of those who attended,” he said.

To a query that the minister had also attended his party’s foundation day ceremony earlier this week, Tope said the social distancing rule was followed there too.

Meanwhile, the administration of the district from where the minister hails advised strict home quarantine for all those who came in contact with him or the infected staffers along with families for 28 days.

Incidentally, the minister had also opened a Covid-19 testing laboratory recently. During the programme, he was accompanied by health and administrative officials. The officials have quarantined themselves at home.