COVID-19 cases: Ministers must get RT-PCR test done before meeting PM, say sources

Any minister scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi must get an RT-PCR test done, said sources. This comes after COVID-19 cases in the country crossed 7,000. 

About 70 BJP functionaries from Delhi, including the Delhi Chief Minister, all seven MPs, and MLAs, scheduled to meet Prime Minister Modi at his residence this evening, will undergo an RT-PCR test, sources told India Today.

Following the BJP's victory in the Delhi Assembly polls, PM Modi has invited all state party leaders for dinner at 7:30 pm.

According to the official statement released by the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday, the country recorded 306 fresh Covid cases and six deaths in the past 24 hours. Kerala reported three deaths, while Maharashtra and Karnataka reported one and two deaths respectively during the same period.

Kerala also saw the highest single-day jump with 170 fresh cases. Gujarat recorded 114 new infections and has 1,223 active cases, followed by Karnataka with 100 new cases. Delhi reported 66 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, taking the city’s total caseload to 757.

The overall situation remains similar, with Kerala leading in active cases, crossing the 2,000 mark, followed by Gujarat, West Bengal, and Delhi. Amid the rise in Covid cases, the Centre has launched mock drills across the country to assess hospital preparedness. It has directed states to ensure an adequate supply of oxygen, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential drugs.