A sitting legislator of the ruling YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh was shifted to an isolation ward on Saturday after his brother-in-law tested positive for COVID-19. The Guntur district administration has also begun contact tracing to ascertain all those who the patient had met, and also those who came in contact with the legislator.
Guntur East MLA Mohammed Mustafa was shifted to a hospital in the town along with several family members on Saturday, triggering speculation as to what had happened.
In a video released to the public, the MLA said, "My brother-in-law went to Delhi. I did not know when he went and when he came back. As soon as I heard that he was showing symptoms, I was the first person to ask him to get admitted and tested."
"He tested positive and as his wife had visited our house, my entire family has also been put under quarantine. There is nothing more to it. I request people not to believe all baseless rumours doing the rounds. None of us are showing any symptoms," he added.
He also requested people not to panic and said that all precautions like washing their hands frequently should be taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
"Those who spread baseless rumours and claims to trigger panic among people, especially during such a pandemic, will not be spared. Strict action will be taken against them," he said.
The legislator was especially furious after Telugu newspaper Andhrajyothy had claimed that the MLA's brother-in-law had returned from the Gulf and interacted with several people, even throwing a party of family members, which also saw officials of the state government in attendance.
"Even if one of the claims is proven true, I am ready to give the person who proves this anything that they want. Media should write what has happened and not whatever they want to make up," he said in another video.
పుకార్లు పుట్టించి, ప్రజలను భయభ్రాంతులకు గురిచెస్తున్న పచ్చ పత్రికలు. ఇది నిజం అని నిరూపించండి మీరు అడిగింది ఇవ్వడానికి నేను సిద్ధం.#AndhraFightsCorona #GunturEastMLA #MDM #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/gDxDuLtMHU
— Mohammad Mustafa (@GunturMDM) March 26, 2020
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh on Saturday saw a significant jump in the number of positive coronavirus patients with the detection of six new cases, taking the overall count in the state to 19.
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