At a Covid-19 testing centre in New Delhi. (Express Photo: Amit Mehra)
Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Pawar tests positive
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said he had tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, and had been admitted to a hospital in Mumbai. “I have tested positive for Covid-19. My health condition is fine. As a precautionary measure I have admitted self to Breach Candy Hospital on the advice of doctors,” he said in a statement.
Pawar had gone into home isolation on October 22 after he reported fatigue. However, he continued to do office work from home and attended meetings through video conferencing. His family had then said that his Covid tests had come negative.
Tamil Nadu agriculture minister critically ill, says hospital
Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikkannu is critically ill and on life support, Chennai’s Kauvery Hospital said in a statement on Monday. Doraikkannu had been admitted to the hospital October 13 and was being treated for Covid-19. The 72-year-old minister, being treated for “severe Covid-19 pneumonia and its complications, continues to be critically ill,” the hospital said.
“He is on maximal life support and his response to the treatment over the next 24 hours will determine the prognosis (likely developments vis-a-vis the illness),” Executive Director of the hospital Dr Aravindan Selvaraj said.
New Delhi records 54 Covid-19 deaths, highest in over 3 months
At least 54 deaths due to the novel coronavirus were reported in the national capital Monday, the highest count in over three months. With 54 deaths, the highest in around 100 days, took the number of deaths to 6,312. The last time the city reported such a high number of deaths was on July 16 (58).
Meanwhile, the tally of cases rose to 3.59 lakh with the detection of 2,832 new infections. The number of new cases was 4,136 on Sunday, 4,116 on Saturday and 4,086 on Friday.
