Coronavirus: Lalu Yadav tests negative, 3 of his attendants at Ranchi hospital contract infection
Yadav, who has been convicted in several fodder scam cases, is undergoing treatment for multiple ailments at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences.
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday tested negative for the coronavirus in a hospital in Jharkhand, The New Indian Express reported. However, three of his attendants were diagnosed with the Covid-19 infection.
Yadav, who has been convicted in several fodder scam cases, is currently undergoing treatment for multiple ailments at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences. The hospital is one of the designated Covid-19 facilities in Jharkhand, according to News18.
“Lalu ji has been tested negative for Covid-19, but the three aides, whose swab-samples were taken for examination, tested positive,” said Umesh Prasad, who is leading the team of doctors deployed for Yadav’s treatment. “The RJD chief will be put under observation for a week following which he may be put to test once again if the Covid task force feels so. There must be a gap of at least four to five days between two tests.”
Prasad added that Yadav has not shown any symptoms of Covid-19 so far, but precautions were being taken and restrictions have been put on meeting him. The private ward allotted to the politician is routinely sanitised and necessary precautions are taken to maintain hygiene, he said.
Jharkhand has reported 8,275 coronavirus cases, including 85 deaths, as of Monday, according to the health ministry’s figures. India, meanwhile, reported 49,931 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking its overall tally to 14,35,453. This is the highest single-day surge in fresh infections. The toll rose by 708 to 32,771. More than 9.17 lakh people have recovered.