Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali tests positive in Punjab’s Covid capital of Ludhiana

In home quarantine at Ayali Khurd till August 25, Akali leader says he may have caught the infection during public dealing as residents would meet him daily

Ludhiana: Amid the spike in Covid-19 cases in Ludhiana district, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) legislator from Dakha constituency, Manpreet Singh Ayali, has tested positive for coronavirus.

Shiromani Akali Dal Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, who is in home quarantine after testing positive for Covid-19, says he may have caught the infection during public dealing. (HT file photo)

He is in home quarantine at his native place, Ayali Khurd, since he tested positive on August 12.

Ayali said that he may have caught the infection during public dealing as residents would meet him daily. “I was having cough and fever on August 11, so I isolated myself and stopped public dealing. I got myself tested and the report came out positive on August 12. I had fever for the first two days, but am fine now. My family members, including my son who returned from Canada recently, have tested negative,” he said.

Doctors have advised him to remain in home isolation till August 25.

On August 7, the Congress MLA from Ludhiana East, Sanjay Talwar, and his four family members tested positive.

Local Congress councillors Manpreet Grewal, Rakesh Prashar and Sukhdev Sheera, senior Congress leaders Kamaljit Singh Karwal, Ashok Prashar Pappi and the party’s former district president (rural) Gurdev Lapran have tested positive for the virus in the past.

Besides, senior BJP leader Gurdev Sharma Debi, Sunil Moudgill and former district president Ravinder Arora have also tested positive.