The chief minister of Uttarakhand, Trivendra Singh Rawat, said today (December 18) that he had tested positive for COVID-19. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader isolated himself at his residence.
Rawat informed everyone about his COVID-19 positive report through his Twitter handle.
"I had got Covid test done. And my report has come positive. My health condition is fine and I don’t have any symptoms too. On the advice of doctors, I will remain in home isolation. I request all those who have come into contact with me in last few days, to isolate themselves and get themselves tested," Rawat said in his tweet.
The Uttarakhand CM had isolated himself because of the risk of COVID-19 earlier too.
On June 1, Rawat and two other ministers in his government decided to quarantine themselves after Cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj tested positive. They had attended a meeting with Maharaj but Rawat tested negative for COVID-19 on June 6.
In August, the CM had to self-isolate after some of his staff members tested positive. Again, in September, Rawat had to go into isolation after his Officer on Special Duty tested positive for COVID-19.
Rawat advised those who had come in contact with him in the last few days to isolate themselves too.
Other senior government functionaries in Uttarakhand got infected with COVID-19 recently. Uttarakhand health secretary Amit Singh Negi tested positive for COVID-19 on December 16. On December 8, the Director-General of the health department, Amita Upreti, had tested positive.
The total COVID-19 cases in Uttarakhand stand over 84,000, with 1,384 reported deaths. State capital Dehradun has the highest tally with 25,012 COVID-19 positive cases. Other cities with a high number of cases are Haridwar and US Nagar.
Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 cases inched closer to one crore in the country.