Haryana minister, who received dose of coronavirus vaccine, tests positive
Haryana's Health Minister Anil Vij announced this morning that he has tested positive for coronavirus. Vij, 67, further informed that he is admitted to the Civil Hospital in Ambala. The minister, who also holds charge of the home portfolio, has urged those who recently came in close contact with him to get themselves tested. Here are more details on this.
"I have been tested corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona (sic)," Vij tweeted today.
I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona.
— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) December 5, 2020
Last month, Vij was administered a trial dose of the potential COVID-19 vaccine, COVAXIN. He had volunteered to be the first one to receive a shot of the vaccine in the state. COVAXIN is being developed by the Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and has shown promising safety in the first two phases of clinical trials.
According to officials of the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in Kolkata, the results of the third phase trial of COVAXIN will be available in November 2021. However, the interim report may be available by May 2021 at the earliest.
In fact, earlier in August, Haryana's Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had tested positive for the fatal virus, and was admitted to a private hospital in Gurugram. Meanwhile, since the pandemic started spreading in India earlier this year, many ministers and political leaders have been diagnosed with coronavirus. They include Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari.
Thus far, Haryana has reported more than 2.4 lakh cases of novel coronavirus, including 2,539 deaths. Across India, which is the second worst-hit country in the outbreak, the disease has sickened over 96 lakh and claimed the lives of more than 1.39 lakh.
