Maharashtra minister Aslam Shaikh tests coronavirus positive

Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Aslam Shaikh on Monday said he has tested positive for coronavirus and is isolating himself. The state textile minister said he is currently asymptomatic and urged those who came in close contact with him to get themselves tested.

On Monday morning, Shaikh, who is the guardian minister of the island city of Mumbai, tweeted, “This is to inform that I’ve tested positive for #COVID-19. I’m currently asymptomatic and isolating myself. I request all those who have come in close contact with me to get themselves tested.”

Shaikh, the Congress MLA from Malad-West seat in Mumbai, also said he will continue to work from home. He is the fourth minister in the Uddhav Thackeray government to have been infected by the novel coronavirus. Earlier, state ministers Jitendra Awhad, Ashok Chavan and Dhananjay Munde had tested positive for the disease and later recovered.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Shivajirao Patil-Nilangekar, 88, had also tested positive recently. As a precautionary measure, the Maharashtra Cabinet has been avoiding large assemblies.

The Cabinet meetings are also being held through video conferencing with a minimum number of people available at one location. But so far four ministers, some IAS officers and IPS officers are among those who have tested positive.