Lucknow, Apr 17 (IANS): The coronavirus pandemic is spreading rapidly in Uttar Pradesh with more than 5,000 new cases being reported every day. Sugarcane Development Minister Suresh Rana and Additional Chief Secretary of the Information Department, Navneet Sehgal, have also tested positive for Covid-19. Lucknow District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash has also been infected with the virus.
Cabinet Minister Suresh Rana wrote, "After initial symptoms of Covid-19, I got myself tested for the virus. My Covid test report has come positive. I have been in home quarantine ever since. I have a humble request to all the people who came in contact with me in the past few days, to get themselves tested, too."
Navneet Sehgal had undergone a Covid test on Thursday after showing initial symptoms. His test report came out positive despite taking the first dose of the corona vaccine with his wife on April 5. At present, he is in home quarantine.
Lucknow DM Abhishek Prakash is also in the grip of the deadly virus with his test report being positive.
Navneet Sehgal is among those officials who was involved in the meetings of the Chief Minister's Team 11. After Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tested positive for Covid-19, he had also undergone a test for which he tested positive.
The second wave of coronavirus infection is proving to be more dangerous. After many IAS and IPS officials were found to be infected with the virus, now it has reached the door of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Some other officials including the CM's Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Abhishek Kaushik have been infected with Covid-19.
The private secretary in the Chief Minister's Office has also tested positive for the virus.
Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture), Devesh Chaturvedi, and Additional Chief Secretary Secondary Education, Aradhana Shukla, also tested positive. Additional Chief Secretary to the UP Chief Minister, SP Goyal; OSD Abhishek Kaushik; Special Secretary to the CM, Amit Singh, and some other employees, have been found to be Covid positive.