Chandigarh:

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday. Taking to social media, the minister confirmed that he was reported coronavirus positive.

“I would like to inform everyone that I have tested positive for COVID and I will be in quarantine for the next coming days. I got myself tested before the session and then again immediately after the session. Before the session, I tested negative. After the session, I have tested positive,” he said.

The minister urged people who have been in contact with him in recent days to get tested for coronavirus.

Amid increasing COVID-19 cases, Ludhiana’s District Collector has imposed a night curfew in the district from March 12 between 11 pm to 5 am till further orders. Police and Army personnel on duty, government employees on duty, essential services, medical emergency are exempted.

Meanwhile, the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination has crossed 2.56 crores coverage, the union health ministry informed on Thursday evening.

India reported 22,854 new COVID-19 cases, 18,100 recoveries, and 126 deaths in the last 24 hours, reported on Thursday.

The cumulative cases in the country reached 1,12,85,561 including 1,89,226 active cases and 1,09,38,146 recoveries. The death count due to COVID-19 has mounted to 1,58,189, the health ministry said on Thursday morning.