BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has become the first CM in India to have tested COVID-19 positive.
Chouhan tested positive on Saturday, two days after one of his cabinet ministers Arvind Singh Bhadoriya tested positive and was hospitalised in Bhopal.
The 61-year-old Chouhan tweeted on Saturday afternoon "I've tested Corona positive and appeal all those who came in contact with me to get selves tested. All those close to me should also quarantine themselves," tweeted Chouhan.
"I'm following Corona guidelines fully and have self quarantined as per doctors advice. I'll try to continue reviewing the COVID-19 situation via video conferencing. In my absence, however, the home minister Narottam Mishra and health minister Prabhuram Chuadhary, urban development minister Bhupendra Singh and medical education minister Vishwas Sarang will hold the meeting," tweeted Chouhan.
"I tried to be very cautious and followed safety guidelines, but people kept meeting me with their problems," Chouhan added in the tweet.
As per latest reports, an ambulance from private Chirayu Hospital has reached the CM's house, from where he could be shifted to the hospital.
His family members too will be tested for the infection subsequently.
Importantly, two days back Chouhan's close confidant and Cooperatives minister Arvind Singh Bhadoriya had tested COVID positive and was hospitalised.
Bhadoriya was among the 30 odd ministers who had attended the cabinet meet on Wednesday and had also accompanied the CM, state BJP chief VD Sharma and party's state general secretary (organisation) Suhas Bhagat to Lucknow to attend MP Governor Lalji Tandon's last rites in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Both Sharma and Bhagat, however, have tested negative for COVID-19.
On Friday, Bhadoriya's personal assistant too had tested COVID-postive.
According to state COVID bulletin released on Friday evening, the state had reported 26,210 positive cases and 791 deaths.
As many as 17,866 patients have so far recovered, while 7,553 are still hospitalised.
The state capital Bhopal has so far reported around 5,000 cases and 150 deaths. Complete 10 day lock-down has been enforced in city's municipal limits from Friday evening.