Ex-Indian president Pranab Mukherjee tests COVID-19 positive
Former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee said today that he has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
“On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for COVID19 today,” tweeted the veteran politician.
After being diagnosed positive for coronavirus, Mukherjee requested all, who came in contact with him in the last week, to go for self-isolation and get tested for COVID-19.
The 84-year-old former leader of Indian Congress was India’s president between 2012 and 2017.
Minutes after Pranab Mukherjee posted the tweet, ministers, political leaders and people of different spectrum took the social media to wish him for his speedy recovery and good health.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote in tweeter, “Please take care sir. We are praying for your speedy recovery and good health.”
“Sir, wishing you a speedy recovery and a long and healthy life,” Ajay Maken, ex-Delhi Congress chief, tweeted.
Union minister Piyush Goyal tweeted: “I pray for the well-being and speedy recovery of Shri Pranab Mukherjee. I am confident he will be successful in recovering from the virus quickly. Wishing him strength and good health.”
Indian Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala along with others party leaders also wished speedy recovery of Mukherjee from COVID-19.
A prolific reader, Mukherjee has authored several books on the Indian economy and on nation building.
The many awards and honours conferred on him include India’s second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhusan in 2008, the Best Parliamentarian Award in 1997 and Best Administrator in India Award in 2011, according to the profile on his official website.
Earlier, several top politicians including union home minister Amit Shah, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa, Congress leader Siddaramaiah, have diagnosed COVID-19 positive in the last few weeks.
A number of Bollywood celebrities including megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Abhisekh and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also have tested positive for coronavirous.
They have already recovered from the disease and left hospital after treatment.
The total cases for coronavirus positive in the country stood at 22,15,074 with the 62,064 new cases recorded across the country in the last 24 hours, according to a data provided by the union health ministry.
The total deaths due to the deadly disease stood at 44,384 with 1007 deaths registered across the country in the last 24 hours.