Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge tests positive for COVID-19

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge tested positive for COVID-19, reported news agency ANI.

"He is asymptomatic and is under home isolation. He is fully vaccinated but was not yet eligible for his precaution dose," his office said in a statement.

According to ANI, Ravindra Garimella, secretary to Kharge, wrote in the statement, "Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has tested positive for COVID-19 in a routine RT-PCR test on 12th January 2022."

"Kharge is asymptomatic and is under home isolation as per guidelines. He is fully vaccinated, but was not yet eligible for his precautionary or booster dose which required a 9-month gap from the date of the second dose of vaccination," it read.

"Five staff members in his Delhi office had tested positive a few days back, including the Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, RS. They are all doing fine and are recovering well under home isolation," it read.

The statement said, "Kharge would like to use this opportunity to encourage all eligible people to get vaccinated and especially, senior citizens to take the precautionary dose on a priority as soon as they are eligible. He would also like to urge the Government to look at expanding the population who are eligible to receive the booster dose and reducing the time gap between the 2nd dose and the precautionary dose."

"Anyone who may have been in contact with Kharge over the last two days is requested to observe their symptoms and get themselves tested as per the ICMR guidelines," it read.

Earlier, Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily on Wednesday evening tested positive for COVID-19 and is under home quarantine.

Published on: Thursday, January 13, 2022, 11:26 AM IST