Government Chief Whip tests positive for Covid-19

Odisha Assembly Speaker S N Patro and Parliamentary Affairs Minister B K Arukha on Sunday tested negative for Covid-19 while Government Chief Whip Pramila Mallick and another ruling BJD MLA tested positive for the infection, official sources said.

The two lawmakers were among the 757 persons comprising MLAs, journalists and Assembly employees who had come forward for Covid-19 test on Saturday ahead of the ensuing monsoon session of the Assembly on September 29, the sources said.

The swab samples were collected after the speaker ordered that only Covid-19 negative persons will be allowed entry into the Assembly for the monsoon session which will commence from Tuesday.

Congress MLAs Suresh Routray and S S Saluja also tested negative, the sources said.

"Though I have no such symptoms, my corona test came positive today. I am in home isolation and request all those who have come in contact with me in the last 10 days to get their swab tested," Mallick said in her twitter post.

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Another ruling BJD MLA, who was in home quarantine after testing positive on August 30, again tested positive. The name of the MLA was not disclosed.

Besides, some journalists, who were to attend the session, PSOs, drivers of MLAs as well as a few Assembly staff have also tested positive for the virus, sources said.

Total 757 people have undergone RT-PCR test on the premises of Odisha Assembly on Saturday and the sample collection will continue till Monday.

Earlier, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Commissioner PC Chaudhary had informed that around 900 people will undergo test for three days starting from September 26 in the Legislative Assembly before commencement of the monsoon session of the House.