Former President Pranab Mukherjee tests positive for coronavirus

Former President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said he has tested positive for Covid-19, the latest VIP to contract the virus infection.

The 84-year-old Mukherjee announced the test results on Twitter in which he said he came to know about the virus infection when he visited the hospital for a separate procedure.

"On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for Covid-19 today. I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week, to please self isolate and get tested for Covid-19," he said in the tweet.

Sources said Mukherjee is admitted in the Army Research and Referral Hospital in the national capital. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the hospital to inquire about the former President's health.

A number of messages wishing him speedy recovery flooded the social media. "We wish former President Pranab Mukherjee a speedy recovery from Covid," the Congress said on its official Twitter handle.

The former President's son Abhijeet Mukherjee, a former Congress MP, tweeted, "I wish my father a speedy recovery! I appeal to all my countrymen to pray for his speedy recovery & good health."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, "concerned to hear about former President Pranab Mukherjee Da testing positive for Covid-19. My prayers are with him and his family during this time and I wish him a speedy recovery."

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, "I have come to know former President of India Pranab Mukherjee has tested positive for Covid-19...concerned about his health. Wish him a speedy recovery."

Union minister Piyush Goyal said he is confident that Pranab Mukherjee successfully recover from the virus quickly and wished him good health.

This month alone, a number of prominent politicians have tested positive for Covid-19, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Minister of State Arjun Meghwal and Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit while Uttar Pradesh Minister Kamal Rani Varun died on August 2 after testing positive for Covid-19.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu, Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain, UP BJP president Swantantra Dev Singh and senior JD(U) MP RCP Singh were among the prominent politicians who tested positive for Covid-19 in the recent months.

In Maharashtra, five ministers and three MLAs had tested positive for Covid-19 while in Tamil Nadu, 21 MLAs and three ministers had contracted the virus infection. In Delhi, three AAP MLAs also recovered from Covid-19.