Panic in Bhopal media as corona+ journalist attended Kamal Nath's press meet

Bhopal: A case has been registered against a Madhya Pradesh journalist who attended a press conference called by then chief minister Kamal Nath even while a family member of his was advised coronavirus quarantine after her return from the UK.

Days after the March 20 press conference, at which Kamal Nath announced his resignation as chief minister, the journalist and his daughter both tested positive for the Covid-19 virus.

A case was registered against the journalist on Friday night at the Shyamla Hills police station in Bhopal under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), a police spokesman said.

The journalist was booked for violating the government's preventive orders related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The journalist's daughter, a post-graduate law student, had returned from London to Bhopal on March 18. She was asked to stay in quarantine at home. But two days after her arrival, the journalist attended Kamal Nath's last press conference as chief minister on March 20, official sources said.

On March 22, the journalist's daughter tested positive for the coronavirus. Three days later, the journalist also tested positive, which created panic among mediapersons and others who attended the press conference.

So far, 33 positive coronavirus cases have been found in Madhya Pradesh. Sixteen of them are residents of Indore, eight of Jabalpur, three each of Bhopal and Ujjain, two of Shivpuri and one of Gwalior, health department officials have said.

Of these 33 cases, two COVID-19 patients, one each from Indore and Ujjain, have died.