Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar has tested negative for the coronavirus, an aide said in Mumbai on Monday even as four people in his residence tested positive for the virus. The 79-year-old NCP patriarch had undergone a test last week at Breach Candy Hospital after a couple of his security personnel and some aides had tested positive. Though Pawar had not come in contact with any of them, as a precaution, he has gone into self-isolation for at least four days cutting off all public contact, the aide, requesting anonymity, told IANS.
Sharad Pawar’s residence is located in South Mumbai. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope, while speaking to reporters, confirmed that Pawar’s results have returned negative and that he has been advised to keep away from any travel for a few days as a precautionary measure.
The Minister also said that the four people who tested positive at Pawar’s ‘Silver Oak’ residence include a cook and two security guards. Keeping in mind standard procedures, efforts are being made to trace all those who came in contact with the aides and security personnel in their residential area, Tope added.
It is unclear if family members of Pawar, other NCP leaders and Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, who are in regular contact with each other, have undergone similar tests.
Over the last month, several politicians have tested positive for the coronavirus. This includes the likes of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain among others. The list also includes independent MP Navneet Kaur-Rana, from Amravati, and her husband Ravi Rana.
With IANS inputs