Maharashtra minister tests positive for COVID-19

A Maharashtra cabinet minister, who belongs to the NCP, has tested positive for COVID-19, sources said on Friday. The minister, who hails from the Marathwada region, had attended the cabinet meeting held at the state secretariat earlier this week, the sources said. He is the third cabinet member in Maharashtra to test positive for the viral infection.

"It came to light on late Thursday night that the minister has tested positive for the disease. He has been quarantined in Mumbai," the sources said.

Apart from the minister, a few members of his personal staff, too, have tested positive for the disease and are being isolated, they said. Earlier, two cabinet ministers, Ashok Chavan (Congress) and Jitendra Awhad (NCP), had tested positive for the disease and recovered later.