Delhi Assembly's main hall sanitised after 2 MLAs test COVID-19 positive

Delhi Assembly's main hall has been thoroughly sanitised and those who came in contact with the two COVID-19 positive legislators have been asked to take preventive measures, officials said on Tuesday.

Two AAP MLAs, who tested negative for COVID-19 when they underwent the mandatory rapid antigen test on Monday ahead of the one-day session, attended the proceedings but later left the House after reports of their previous RT-PCR test came positive in the evening, they said.

"The Assembly hall has been sanitised thoroughly. All the members and officers who came into contact with MLAs Vishesh Ravi and  Parmila Tokas have been advised to take adequate precautionary measures," a senior official of the Delhi Assembly secretariat said.

Besides Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues, the session was also attended by ruling AAP and opposition BJP MLAs.

On a lighter note, Ravi, who is AAP MLA from Karol Bagh constituency and had tested positive for the virus previously, said coronavirus seems to be in no mood to leave him alone.

"Perhaps Corona is in no mood to stop following me. I had undergone RT-PCR test at the Assembly before the session on September 11 and it came positive on September 14. People say its re-infection. Feel fine and so far there are no such symptoms. Have quarantined myself at home," Ravi tweeted in Hindi.

Earlier in May, Ravi and his brother had tested COVID-19 positive.

It was mandatory for all legislators to undergo COVID-19 test in order to attend the House proceedings on Monday.

A total of 180 people underwent COVID-19 test at the coronavirus testing facility set up in the assembly premises on Monday. Nine people including an AAP MLA and staff members were found positive, following which the legislator did not attend the proceedings.

However, the rapid antigen test report of Ravi and Tokas came negative and they attended the proceedings of the House for some time. When their RT-PCR test report came positive in the evening, they left the House.

Before this, 94 individuals, including 29 MLAs underwent RT-PCR test on Friday and no one was found positive for coronavirus, officials said.

Various safety measures were put in place for the one-day session, including setting up of a coronavirus testing facility at the assembly for the staff and legislators before the session, and altered seating arrangements to maintain social distancing norm.