Saudi Gazette report

NEW DELHI — India’s top minister has tested positive for coronavirus as the country struggles to stem the spread of the deadly disease.

Making the announcement on Twitter on Sunday, Amit Shah, India’s interior minister, widely regarded as de facto No. 2 in the government after the prime minister, said: “My health is fine but I am being admitted to the hospital on advice of doctors. I request all of you who have come in contact with me in the last few days to please isolate yourself and get your inquiry done.”

He is the most high-profile personality in the country to have contracted the infection after Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his family — son Abhishek, daughter-in-law Aishwarya and granddaughter Aaradhya — tested positive for COVID-19 and were hospitalized.

Amitabh was, however, released on Sunday from the hospital after testing negative.

With 54,736 new coronavirus cases, the total number of confirmed infections in India crossed the 1.7-mark on Sunday, according to the latest official figures. The country recorded a jump of over 150,000 cases in the past three days.

As many as 853 casualties took place in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 37,364. Of the 17,50,724 cases, 5,67,730 are active cases, while 11,45,630 have been cured.