Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Monday that he has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Earlier in the day, Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and two BJP MLAs had tested positive for COVID-19, just two days before the monsoon session of the state assembly is set to begin.
“I was tested for Novel Corona Virus today. My test report has returned positive,” Khattar said on Twitter.
“I appeal to all colleagues and associates who came in my contact over the last week to get themselves tested. I request my close contacts to move into strict quarantine immediately,” he said.
Besides the chief minister, speaker and two MLAs, six assembly staffers have also tested positive for the disease.
"The assembly speaker and MLAs Aseem Goel and Ram Kumar have tested positive for coronavirus," state health minister Anil Vij had announced earlier.
On the health minister's suggestion last week, the speaker had made it mandatory for anyone entering the Haryana Vidhan Sabha complex for the monsoon session, starting Wednesday, to show a COVID-19 negative certificate.
The seating arrangement in the 90-member House will also be changed to ensure social distancing.
Last week, Chief Minister Khattar had tested negative for COVID-19, days after he attended a meeting with Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who has been found infected with the contagious disease.
BJP MPs from Hisar and Kurukshetra, Brijendra Singh and Nayab Singh Saini, and party legislator from Thanesar Subhash Sudha had also tested positive for coronavirus earlier.
