Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, his cabinet colleagues and SP chief Akhilesh test positive for COVID

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and former CM and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav have tested positive for the deadly coronavirus here on Wednesday. Both had given their samples for testing on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had gone into self-isolation and had started working virtually on Tuesday after a bunch of senior IAS officers, deputed in his office, had tested positive for the deadly virus. Those officers included  CM’s OSD Abhishek Kaushik, Additional Chief Secretary SP Goel and CM’s personal secretary.

CM Yogi shared the information about his test report on Twitter appealing to those who had come in his contact to get themselves tested as well. “With the appearance of initial symptoms, I gave my sample for test and my report has come positive. I am in self-isolation and following the doctor’s advice in letter and spirit. I am working virtually. Those who happened to have come in my contact in the recent past should also get themselves tested and take all precautions,” tweeted the CM.

#COVID19 UP record 20,458 fresh cases in past 24 hours and 67 deaths. Total active cases in state cross 1 lakh mark, standing at 1,11,835 @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard

— Namita_TNIE (@Namita_TNIE) April 14, 2021

Expressing concern on the positive report of CM Yogi, both the Deputy CMs Keshav Maurya and Dr Dinesh Sharma talked to the CM. “His voice was sounding a bit heavy. Otherwise, he is fine. A team of doctors is looking after the CM and we hope that he will be fine soon,” said Maurya and Sharma too wished him speedy recovery saying that he was a very disciplined human being who would be hale and hearty soon.

Meanwhile, UP cabinet ministers Ashutosh Tandon and Surya Pratap Shahi have also tested positive on Wednesday. While Tandon is Urban Development Minister, Shahi is the state’s Agriculture minister.

On the other hand, former UP CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Last week, Yadav had travelled to Haridwar, meeting various religious leaders. He had also come in contact with Mahant Narendra Giri, chairman, All-India Akhara Parishad, who had tested positive soon after. Following this, Yadav had given his samples for the COVID-19 test on Tuesday.

The former Chief Minister has quarantined himself at home and his treatment has started under the supervision of a medical team. Taking to Twitter, he had appealed to all who came in contact with him over the last couple of days to get their tests done.

After he tested positive, his family including wife, two daughters and son are also slated to undergo COVID-19 tests. It was not yet known whether or not he met his father Mulayam Singh Yadav over the last couple of days. Experts have advised COVID-19 tests for all his family and staff members.

Panic gripped the Samajwadi Party after Yadav’s report. Many senior leaders who had met the party Chief in the last couple of days have registered themselves for RT PCR tests at government hospitals.