Coronavirus: Mumbai’s guardian minister Aslam Shaikh tests positive for COVID-19

Mumbai, July 20: Senior Congress leader Aslam Shaikh has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. However, the minister has said he is currently asymptomatic and urged those who came in close contact with him to get themselves tested for COVID-19.

On Monday, Shaikh, the guardian minister of the island city of Mumbai, took to Twitter and said, "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."

The Congress leader is also the Minister for Textiles, Ports and Fisheries in the government.

Shaikh has isolated himself inside his home for now. "I'll continue to work from home to serve people of my state," he tweeted.

As a precautionary measure, the Maharashtra cabinet has been avoiding large assemblies. Cabinet meetings are also being held through video conferencing with minimum number of people available at one location.

It can be seen that Shaikh is the fourth minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government to be exposed to coronavirus. Public Works department minister Ashok Chavan, Housing Minister Jitendra Awhad and Social Justice minister Dhananjay Munde were previously hospitalised with the infection. All of them have recovered.