“People who came in contact with me from August 16 to August 18 should get themselves tested,” Garg tweeted. (Representational)

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Atul Garg, on Tuesday said that he has tested positive for Covid-19. He is the ninth minister in the UP government to have been infected by novel coronavirus. Two of the nine ministers – Kamal Rani Varun and Chetan Chauhan — have succumbed to the disease.

“People who came in contact with me from August 16 to August 18 should get themselves tested,” Garg tweeted.

Garg (63), an MLA from Ghaziabad, has been admitted to a private hospital, where doctors stated his condition was stable. “He is under observation and a team of doctors attending to him as he is a known diabetic and hypertensive,” a hospital official said.

BJP MP from Sant Kabirnagar Pravin Nishad has also tested positive and is staying in home isolation at his Delhi residence.

BJP MLA from Dadraul, Manvendra Singh has tested positive in a rapid antigen test conducted on him.

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said that special arrangements are being made for the coming session of the state legislature by setting up testing facilities for the legislators and their associates.

— With PTI inputs