Gujarat minister, 3 IAS officers test coronavirus positive

Earlier, he was infected with COVID-19 in April last year during the second wave of the pandemic.My Rapid Antigen Test gave a positive result for COVID-19 today.

Gujarat minister Jitubhai Chaudhari on Wednesday said he has tested positive for coronavirus, while three senior IAS officers have also been diagnosed with the infection in the state.

Notably, Chaudhari, Minister of State for Narmada, Kalpasar and Fisheries, has contracted the virus for a second time in nine months. Earlier, he was infected with COVID-19 in April last year during the second wave of the pandemic.

''My Rapid Antigen Test gave a positive result (for COVID-19) today. RT-PCR results are yet to come. I have isolated myself at home. I have urged people, who came into my contact recently, to get themselves tested,'' he said in a statement.

On Tuesday, senior IAS officer Manoj Aggarwal, who was heading the state Health Department as its Additional Chief Secretary, was found positive for coronavirus.

On Wednesday, three more senior IAS officers - JP Gupta, Rajkumar Beniwal and Commissioner of Health JP Shivahare - were found positive for coronavirus, said Health Officer of Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation Dr Kalpesh Goswami.

Meanwhile, the state government on Wednesday gave additional charge of the Health Department to the Principal Secretary in the Urban Development Department, Mukesh Kumar.