Former Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy and son Nikhil test COVID-19 positive
Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Saturday saidthey have tested positive for COVID-19.
Kumaraswamy could not get a bed in a hospital of hischoice where he wished to get himself admitted for treatment,reportedly due to non-availability.
“I request everyone who came in close contact with meover 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 campaigningfor the party candidate in Basavakalyan, where bypoll was heldtoday.
He had got himself inoculated with the first dose ofCOVID-19 vaccine on March 23.
Kumaraswamys wife and Ramanagara MLA Anita Kumaraswamyis 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 testedpositive and is under medication on the advice of the doctors.
Meanwhile, a statement by Kumaraswamys media coordinatorclaimed that the former CM did not get a bed at the citysManipal Hospital, as per desire.
Also, Health Minister K Sudhakars intervention to gethim bed at the hospital did not bear fruit, it said addingthat however, Kumaraswamy managed to find a bed at anotherprivate hospital.
Noting that Kumaraswamy had experienced fatigue on Fridayevening while he was campaigning in Basavakalyan, the mediacoordinators statement attributing to JD(S) MLC H M RameshGowda, said he returned to Bengaluru and retreated to a hotel,instead of going home.
“On contacting doctors this morning and undergoing atest, he was confirmed COVID positive.
Though he wanted to rest at his farmhouse and undergotreatment there, doctors did not agree to it. They asked himnot to risk it and that he should get admitted immediately,”it said.
The statement said Kumaraswamy will appear before a courtin connection with a case via video conference today and afterthat he will get admitted at another hospital, where he hasgot the bed.
A source at the Manipal Hospital not wanting to commenton claims made by Kumaraswamys media coordinator, said therewas no bed available at the hospital on the citys Old Airportroad.
Kumaraswamys father and Former Prime Minister H D DeveGowda was admitted to the Manipal Hospital on March 31 forCOVID treatment and was discharged after recovery on April 5.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is also undergoingtreatment at the Manipal Hospital for COVID-19, after he wastested positive on Friday, for the second time in eightmonths.
Several political leaders belonging to various partieslike Yediyurappa, Kumaraswamy, Congress MLAs Eshwar Khandre,Laxmi Hebbalkar, BJPs Maski candidate Pratapagouda Patilamong others have contracted the virus during the campaign forbypoll to one lok sabha and two assembly segments inKarnataka.
CM Yediyurappa, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, stateCongress chief D K Shivakumar among other leaders have wishedKumaraswamy a speedy recovery.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)