Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh tests negative for COVID-19, ends week-long isolation

In a relief for the Punjab government, state CM Capt. Amarinder Singh on Saturday, tested negative for Coronavirus (COVID-19), ending his week-long isolation. He had to self-quarantine himself after two MLAs, who he met in the assembly tested positive for COVID-19. The MLAs - Nirmal Singh and Kulbir Singh Zira had entered the House only for 15 minutes after his initial test result was negative.

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Capt. Amarinder Singh out of isolation

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2 MLAs test positive

The MLAs, Nirmal Singh and Kulbir Singh Zira got tested for the disease after the one-day monsoon session. "He (Nirmal Singh) got himself tested on August 25 and then his report was negative. Based on this report, he entered the House," Speaker Rana KP Singh said. After Singh felt feverish on Friday, he got himself tested again and was found positive for the disease, the speaker said, adding that the MLA was in the House for about 15 minutes. Zira got himself tested for Covid-19 after the session, Health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu said.

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh goes into self-quarantine after 2 MLAs test COVID-19 positive

29 MLAs test COVID positive

As of date, one-fourth of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha i.e 31 MLAs have tested positive for COVID-19. Among these, seven have already recovered from the contagion. The list of MLAs includes - Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Sham Sunder Arora, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Madan Lal Jalalpur, Hardial Kamboj, Harjot Kamal, Pargat Singh, Manpreet Singh Ayali, NK Sharma, Rozy Barkandi, Gurpratap Singh Vadala, Nazar Singh Manshahia, Harinder Pal Singh, Manjeet Singh, Kulwant Singh, Principal Budh Ram, Dalveer Singh, Kanwarjit Singh, Darshan Singh Brar and Surinder Dabar Singh. 

Meanwhile, Dr Dharmvir Agnihotri, Amit Vij, Amrik Singh Dhillon, Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Sanjeev Talwar, Lakhvir Singh and Kulbeer Singh have recovered. A one-day Punjab Assembly session was held on August 29 passing a resolution rejecting the farm ordinances promulgated by the Centre and two MLAs testing positive for the disease. Punjab has also announced that Punjab will have a lockdown on a daily basis from 7 PM to 5 AM, inspite of Centre disallowing local lockdowns under 'Unlock 4'.

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Punjab's COVID stats

Forty-nine more fatalities due to COVID-19 in Punjab pushed the death toll to 1,739 while 1,498 new cases took the infection tally to 60,013 on Friday. Fourteen fatalities were reported from Ludhiana, six from Mohali, five from Amritsar, four from Jalandhar, three each from Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur and Patiala and two each from Rupnagar and Gurdaspur and one each from Bathinda, Faridkot, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur and Tarn Taran, as per a medical bulletin. A total of 1,272 coronavirus patients were discharged after recovering from the infection. So far 42,543 people have been cured of the infection, the bulletin said.