Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil test positive

New Delhi/Bengaluru:: Apr 17 (PTI) Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that he has tested positive for COVID-19 but is feeling "fit and fine". The 49-year-old posted the development on his Twitter page.

"After getting repeated test for Covid-19, today my report has come out positive," Rijiju wrote in his twitter handle.

"I'm taking the advice of the Doctors. I request all those who have come in my contact recently to be observant, exercise self-quarantine and get themselves tested. I'm physically fit and fine."

Rijiju was in Uttarakhand on Friday to inaugurate a Water Sports and Adventure Institute in Tehri.

State chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat, who recovered recently from the dreaded infection, was with him at the inauguration ceremony.

On Thursday, Rijiju had visited the Nelong Valley region of Uttarkashi district, accompanied by Surjeet Singh Deswal, the director-general of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Apart from sports, Rijiju was recently given additional charge of the ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) after incumbent Shripad Yesso Naik was hospitalised following an accident.

Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Saturday said they have tested positive for COVID-19.

Kumaraswamy could not get a bed in a hospital of his choice where he wished to get himself admitted for treatment, reportedly due to non-availability. "I request everyone who came in close contact with me over the last few days to isolate themselves and get tested," the 61-year-old JD(S) leader tweeted. For the last few days, Kumaraswamy had been campaigning for the party candidate in Basavakalyan, where bypoll was held on Saturday.

He had got himself inoculated with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine on March 23. Kumaraswamy's wife and Ramanagara MLA Anita Kumaraswamy is under home quarantine on the advice of the Doctors. His son Nikhil Kumaraswamy who is a Kannada actor and JD (S) youth wing President said in a tweet he too has tested positive and is under medication on the advice of the doctors.

A statement by Kumaraswamy's media coordinator claimed that the former CM did not get a bed at the city's Manipal Hospital, as per desire.

Also, Health Minister K Sudhakar's intervention to get him bed at the hospital did not bear fruit, it said adding that however, Kumaraswamy managed to find a bed at another private hospital.

Noting that Kumaraswamy had experienced fatigue on Friday evening while he was campaigning in Basavakalyan, the media coordinator's statement attributing to JD(S) MLC H M Ramesh Gowda, said he returned to Bengaluru and retreated to a hotel, instead of going home.

"On contacting doctors this morning and undergoing a test, he was confirmed COVID positive," it said.