RANCHI: Jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, currently admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi due to deteriorating health conditions, was tested negative for coronavirus on Sunday. Yadav, however, will be re-examined as all his three aides, whose swab samples were taken for testing along with his on Saturday, tested positive.
Doctors claimed that the RJD chief was put to test as a precautionary measure after COVID-19 cases soared up in the last few days all over the State.
“Lalu ji has been tested negative for COVID-19, but the three aides, whose swab-samples were taken for examination, tested positive. The RJD chief will be put under observation for a week following which he may be put to test once again if the COVID task force feels so,” said Dr. Umesh Prasad, who is leading the team of doctors deployed for Lalu Yadav. There must be a gap of at least 4-5 days between two tests, he added.
The doctors said that the RJD chief has not shown any symptoms of COVID-19 so far. Meanwhile, all precautions are being taken to protect Yadav from coronavirus. Restriction has been put on people meeting him, he said.
The RJD chief, a heart patient with kidney ailments, had undergone a fistula operation at Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai.
Notably, after being convicted by a Special CBI Court in Ranchi on December 23, 2017, in the second fodder scam case involving the illegal withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from Deoghar treasury, the 72-year-old Yadav was lodged in Birsa Munda central jail in Ranchi.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand registered 86th COVID-19 fatality with 587 new positive cases on Monday. A total of 8479 new cases of COVID-19 have been registered in the state out of which 3704 people have already recovered and discharged from hospital.