Coronavirus: Union AYUSH minister Shripad Naik tests positive for COVID-19

Union AYUSH minister Shripad Naik is now the fifth union minister to test COVID-19 positive. The President of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP, Swatantra Dev Singh, has also tested positive.

Team Newsable

Panaji, First Published Aug 13, 2020, 8:52 AM IST | Last Updated Aug 13, 2020, 8:52 AM IST

Panaji: Union minister Shripad Y Naik on Wednesday said he has tested positive for coronavirus infection and has opted for home isolation. The minister of state for AYUSH and defence said he opted for self-isolation as he is asymptomatic and added his vitals are within normal limits.

Naik took to Twitter to inform he was COVID-19 positive.

"I underwent COVID-19 test today & it has turned out asymptomatically positive. My vitals are within normal limits and I have opted for home isolation. Those who have come in contact with me in last few days are advised to get tested for themselves and take required precautions," he said in his tweet.

Naik is now the fifth union minister to test COVID-19 positive. The President of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP, Swatantra Dev Singh, has also tested positive.

The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy has been actively involved in the government's efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Last week petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan said his test had returned positive and that he had admitted himself to the Medanta Hospital in Haryana's Gurgaon (near Delhi), on the advice of his doctors.

Earlier this month Union home minister Amit Shah also tested positive.

In addition to Shah and Pradahan, two Ministers of State have also tested positive - Arjun Ram Meghwal (MoS for Heavy Industries and Parliamentary Affairs) and Kailash Chaudhary (MoS for Agriculture and Farmer Welfare) also tested positive.

The chief ministers of Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa, and Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, have also tested positive.

For more reliable and latest news