India / Haryana minister who took trial dose of Covaxin tests positive for COVID-19

Ambala: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij  tweeted this morning to say that he has tested positive for coronavirus. Mr Vij, 67, said he is admitted at the Civil Hospital  in Ambala.

The minister also urged all those who had come in close contact with him to get themselves tested.

"I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona," Mr Vij tweeted.

I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for corona.

— ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) December 5, 2020

On November 20, Mr Vij, who is also Haryana's Health Minsiter, was administered a trial dose of a coronavirus vaccine as part of the third phase trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. He had earlier announced on Twitter that he will be the first volunteer in his state for the anti-Covid vaccine.

Covaxin has been evaluated in about 1,000 subjects in the first two phases of clinical trials, with promising safety and immunogenicity data.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had tested positive for coronavirus in August, and was admitted to a private hospital in Gurgaon near Delhi. The state assembly speaker, Gian Chand Gupta , had tested positive a day earlier, two days before the assembly session.

Haryana has reported over 2.4 lakh Coivd cases so far, including 2,539 deaths.