Union Home Minister Amit Shah tests negative for Covid-19

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday tested negative for Covid-19 and will stay in home isolation for some days on the advice of doctors.

Shah (55) had tested positive for the virus infection on August 2 and was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Haryana's Gurugram, near Delhi.

Read: Union Home Minister Amit Shah tests positive for coronavirus

"Today, my Covid-19 test report has come negative. I thank God. I express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have blessed me and my family by wishing me well. I will stay in home isolation for a few more days on the advice of doctors," Shah said in a tweet announcing the results of the fresh Covid-19 test to ascertain his health condition.

There were reports on August 9 that he had tested negative for Covid-19 but the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had then denied any such tests done.

Also Read: Amid reports of Amit Shah testing negative for Covid-19, MHA says no tests done

Shah had missed the Ram Temple 'bhumi pujan' function in Ayodhya on August 5 as he was hospitalised. Also, he will not be present at the Red Fort when Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurls the national flag and addresses the nation.

This month alone, a number of prominent leaders politicians have tested positive for Covid-19, including former President Pranab Mukherjee, Ministers of State Arjun Meghwal and Shripad Naik and Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit. 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.