Madhya Pradesh Health minister Dr Prabhuram Choudhary has tested positive for COVID-19.
The minister took to Twitter and informed about his COVID-19 test results. He wrote, "My COVID-19 report came positive. I request everyone who has come in contact with me to get the test done. My close contacts should quarantine themselves. With the prayers and blessings of all of you, I will soon recover and start my work."
Prabhuram Choudhary was the school education minister in Congress government in the state. Choudhary resigned from the assembly in support of Jyotiraditya Scindia in March 2020. He later joined BJP.
Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh on Saturday saw its highest single-day spike of 1,226 coronavirus cases, taking the total count in the state to 51,866, health officials said.
The coronavirus death toll rose to 1,206 after 21 patients succumbed to the viral infection since Friday evening, they said.
Four patients died in Bhopal, three each in Gwalior and Indore, two in Betul and one each in Alirajpur, Barwani, Damoh, Jabalpur, Khargone, Sagar, Sehore, Shivpuri and Vidisha districts, officials said.
The highest 181 new infections were reported from Indore, followed by 159 in Gwalior, 135 in Bhopal and 111 in Jabalpur.
On the other hand, 872 persons were discharged from hospitals after recovery in the state on Saturday.
The number of cases in Indore, the worst-hit district in the state, rose by 181 to 10,967 and death toll to 356.
Bhopal has recorded 9,123 COVID-19 patients including 259 who died.
The case count in Gwalior and Jabalpur went up to 3,999 and 2,978.
At 3,087, Indore has the highest number of active cases in the state while Bhopal has 1,500 such cases.
No new coronavirus case was reported from one district since Friday evening, though all 52 districts of Madhya Pradesh have active cases.
There are 4,086 active containment zones in the state at present.
So far in August, Madhya Pradesh has recorded 20,060 fresh cases and 339 deaths.
As of July 31, the case count was 31,806 and the death toll 867.
(With inputs from PTI)
