Even as the progressive cases in Mumbai and the State crossed one lakh and three lakh, respectively , the Maharashtra Minister of Ports and Mumbai District Guardian Minister, Aslam Shaikh, was detected to be Covid-19 positive. He is currently asymptomatic and has isolated himself. He has confirmed it through his tweet, asking those who were in his contact to undergo the Covid-19 test.
He is the fourth minister after Jitendra Awhad, Ashok Chavan and Dhananjay Munde to be infected by the virus. The other three have been cured. The Minister of Soil and Water Conservation Shankarrao Gadakh-Patil, on Saturday, went into home quarantine after his wife was detected to be positive.
Shaikh had recently travelled extensively in the cyclone hit coastal districts. He was busy visiting coronavirus affected areas in the city and holding meetings with various stakeholders for the ensuing Eid festival slated for August 1. He was present at the meeting convened by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray last week. The state government has already appealed to the Muslim community to keep the Eid celebrations simple and low key.
Meanwhile, Public Work Minister Ashok Chavan is working from his home at Nanded, after his close confidant and Congress MLC Amar Rajurkar tested positive. Chavan, who has been cured, was in the city last week before he returned to Nanded. He is expected to take a call on going into self-isolation after the doctor’s advice.
