Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who claimed papad helps fight coronavirus, tests COVID-19 positive

Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who had claimed that a brand of papad could help produce antibodies to fight coronavirus, on late Saturday night said he’d tested positive for COVID-19. Meghwal, the minister of state for heavy industries and parliamentary affairs, said he was tested twice after developing COVID-19 symptoms and found to be positive in the second report. Meghwal, the BJP MP from Bikaner, said his health “is fine” and that he has been admitted to AIIMS Delhi. “After developing symptoms of COVID-19 I had undergone a test and was found positive in the second report. On the advice of doctors, I got admitted to AIIMS and I request all those who came in contact with me to take care of their health,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

कोरोना के शुरूआती लक्षण आने पर मैंने टेस्ट करवाया व पहली जाँच नेगेटिव आने के बाद आज दूसरी जाँच पॉजिटिव आई है।
मेरी तबीयत ठीक है परन्तु चिकित्सकीय सलाह पर AIIMS में भर्ती हूँ। मेरा निवेदन है कि जो लोग गत कुछ दिनों में मेरे संपर्क में आयें हैं, कृपया अपने स्वास्थ्य का ध्यान रखे ।

— Arjun Ram Meghwal (@arjunrammeghwal) August 8, 2020

In a video that went viral, Meghwal had claimed that a papad brand could help boost a person’s immunity and fight coronavirus. “The papads, bhujia, and rasgullas of Bikaner are popular. In support of VocalForLocal, I urge you to support it and local products in your area so that the campaign can be taken forward,” Meghwal had also said in a tweet. In the video, Meghwal was seen wishing the brand’s owner Sunil Bhansali well on the launch of the product, saying he hopes the venture will be “successful” under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative launched by the Central government, as per Indian Express. Another MP from Rajasthan and Union minister Kailash Chaudhary also recently tested positive for COVID-19. With inputs from PTI