Karnataka minister Eshwarappa tests Coronavirus positive

Bengaluru: Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa tested Covid positive and has been admitted to a private hospital here for treatment, an official said on Tuesday.

"As Eshwarappa had cold and flu symptoms since Sunday, he took Covid test, which turned positive. He is under treatment at Manipal Hospital in the city's eastern suburb," his secretary told IANS.

Eshwarappa (72) is a legislator from Shivomogga assembly segment in Malnad region. "I was diagnosed with coronavirus earlier in the day. I have got admitted for treatment at a hospital on doctor's advice," Eshwarappa tweeted in Kannada.

State Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who was also treated at Manipal a month ago for the infection, hoped Eshwarwappa would soon be cured and return to work. State Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar also wished Eshwarappa speedy recovery. Earlier in the day, state Women and Child Development Minister Shashikala Jolle said she tested positive for Covid and was in home quarantine.

Other state cabinet ministers such as B.R. Sriramulu, S.T. Somashekar, Anand Singh and C.T. Ravi, opposition Congress leader Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar, BJP's Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and MLAs and MLCs of the BJP, Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) also tested positive and recovered from the diseases over the last 2 months in the southern state.