“I request all the people who met me recently in Hisar to get themselves tested and follow all safety precautions,” Singh said in the post.

BJP’s Hisar MP, Brijendra Singh, tested positive of coronavirus on Saturday. Singh had tweeted Friday that he had isolated himself after feeling feverish. His Covid-19 test was done Friday, and the report on Saturday came back positive.

“I have received the report for my Covid-19 test. Unfortunately, it has returned positive. However, I have slight symptoms and I am isolating myself at home. I request all the people who met me recently in Hisar to get themselves tested and follow all safety precautions,” Singh posted on his Twitter handle.

545 fresh cases

With 545 fresh cases and five deaths, Haryana’s total count of Covid-19 patients reached 16,548 cases and 260 deaths. The active Covid-19 patients, as on Saturday evening, were 4,031. Faridabad and Gurgaon continue to witness a spike in fresh coronavirus cases. While Faridabad got 180, Gurgaon got 130 fresh cases in the last 24 hours.

With 12,257 patients who have recovered so far, the recovery rate in the state reached 74.07 per cent. The Covid-positive rate in Haryana was 5.66 per cent. The case doubling rate in Haryana reached 17 days on Saturday.

Haryana’s majority of coronavirus infected patients are in the age group of 24-34 years, while the majority of patients dying due to Covid-19 belong in the age group of 65-74 years. The figures were revealed in an analysis of the Covid patients conducted by the state Health Department.

Till date, over 16,000 persons have got infected with coronavirus and over 255 have died due to the virus in Haryana. Another worrying part for the state is that out of 255 who have lost their lives due to Covid-19, at least 100 patients were such who had no comorbidities.

Out of total Covid-19 patients in Haryana, over 4,399 persons have got infected and 11 have died in the age group of 24-34 years, while 3,241 persons have got infected and 36 have died in the age group of 35-44 years. A majority of 67 persons have died in the age group of 65-74 years.

“Fortunately, there has been no death due to Covid-19 below the age of 14 years. Although, there are over 964 cases of infection in children younger than 14 years old,” a Health Department official said.

CM visits Covid ward

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, Saturday went to Khanpur Medical College and interacted with Covid patients. Wearing a PPE kit, Khattar went to the Covid ward and spoke with the patients admitted there.

Later, interacting with media at NC College of Engineering campus in Israna, Khattar said, “Situation of Covid-19 in Haryana is gradually coming back to normal. However, it is yet important to ensure that everybody is taking precautionary steps to prevent it and strict compliance of state and central government’s guidelines need to be ensured”.

Haryana bans Kanwariyas

“In view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided not to allow Kanwariyas to proceed on Kanwar Yatras on the eve of Maha Shivratri during the Shravan month this year as the governments of Uttarakhand/UP have conveyed their inability to make arrangements for their transit and stay. In view of the above, all Deputy Commissioners/ Superintendents of Police are directed to immediately engage with the Kanwariya Samitis, Bhakt-Mandalis, Religious leaders etc. of their respective districts and prevail upon them not to proceed on Kanwariya Yatras. Arrangements to bring the holy water of the sacred Ganges from Haridwar to a few selected temples in Haryana will be facilitated keeping in mind the religious sentiment of people,” orders issued by Haryana’s Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Vijai Vardhan read.

CM to inaugurate 110 parks and gymnasiums

Meanwhile, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar will inaugurate 110 parks and gymnasiums covering 1,000 villages, from Chandigarh through video conference, Sunday.

“With the aim to make yoga an integral part of everyone’s life, the Chief Minister has decided to engage yoga volunteers in the yoga centres and gymnasiums being opened in rural areas of the state. These yoga volunteers will be appointed through Zila Parishads and preference will be given to the youth of the same village or of nearby villages. Age limit for these yoga volunteers will be between 18 and 35 years and the educational qualification will be Class 12 pass from Haryana School Education Board or CBSE. In addition, they must possess a certification of Level-1 or its equivalent course in Yoga from one of the 16 nationally recognised institutes or a one-year diploma from any university. Apart from this, AYUSH coaches will also be appointed in every district under the outsourcing policy to monitor the working of these yoga volunteers till regular recruitment. The educational qualification for AYUSH coaches will be the same as prescribed for the Yoga Coach by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs”, a government spokesperson said.

10 lakh smart electricity-meters in state

Power Minister Ranjit Singh has said that “around 10 lakh smart meters will be installed in the state in the first phase”.

“These smart meters are hi-tech and fully computerised. Consumers will even be able to monitor their meters through their mobile phones. These meters will be pre-paid as well as postpaid and consumers will be able to recharge them as and when required, like mobile phones,” he said.