Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Wednesday confirmed that she has tested positive for the COVID-19 infection.  

Taking to her Twitter account, she said, “It is rare for me to search for words while making an announcement; hence here’s me keeping it simple — I’ve tested positive for #COVID and would request those who came in contact with me to get themselves tested at the earliest.”

On Tuesday, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale tested positive for the coronavirus. He complained of cough and body pain following which, he got himself tested. 

A number high-profile union ministers and other leaders have contracted the infection over the course of the outbreak. 

Home Minister Amit Shah, Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan are among the BJP leaders to have contracted and recovered from the infection so far. 

India is fast approaching the 80-lakh caseload milestone as 43,893 new infections on Wednesday took the country’ tally to 79,90,322. The country recorded 508 deaths, taking the death toll to 1,20,010.