Three Gautam Budh Nagar MLAs go into self-quarantine after attending presser by UP health minister who was at Kanika Kapoor’s party

Three MLAs from Gautam Budh Nagar have quarantined themselves after attending a press conference conducted by state health minister Jai Pratap Singh on Thursday

Three MLAs from Gautam Budh Nagar have quarantined themselves after attending a press conference conducted by state health minister Jai Pratap Singh on Thursday morning at the collectorate in Greater Noida.

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Singh had attended a private party on March 14 in Lucknow where singer Kanika Kapoor, who tested positive for Covid-19, was present.

While Singh’s initial test results have returned negative, he too has gone into self-quarantine as a precautionary measure.

The press conference, about the achievements of the Yogi Adityanath government on its completion of three years in power, was attended by the district magistrate, chief medical officer (CMO), chief development officer, three MLAs and around 50 journalists.

Soon after news of the singer testing positive became public, the CMO set about advising attendees to take precautions.

“I have gone into self-quarantine keeping the safety of people in mind. It is a precautionary measure. The CMO has suggested we take measures required. District in-charge Jai Pratap Singh had attended a party where a Covid-19 positive patient was present. The minister told me his samples have tested negative, but it is better to take precautions because it takes a few days for the symptoms to arise,” said Thakur Dhirendra Singh, MLA, Jewar.

Noida MLA Pankaj Singh has also gone into self-quarantine. “I have decided to quarantine myself, as per the directions of the government and the medical department. We have to think about the safety of people around us too,” said Pankaj Singh.

Dadri MLA Tejpal Singh Nagar has also chosen to quarantine himself after attending the press conference. “I have spoken to the health minister and he has said that it takes around 14 days to show any symptoms of the virus so I have gone under self-quarantine to ensure the safety of people. The minister has quarantined himself even though his samples tested negative for Covid-19. However, initial reports do return negative at times, and the actual situation will be clear in the later tests,” he said.

District magistrate BN Singh has said a decision on putting people who attended the press conference under quarantine will be taken after the health minister’s final reports are received.

According to reports, the singer landed in Mumbai on March 9, and reached Lucknow on March 11. In Lucknow, Kapoor attended a high-profile party on March 15, which was also attended by several senior leaders including former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje, her son and BJP MP Dushyant Singh, UP health minister Jai Prasad Singh and Congress leader Jitin Prasada.

Officials have quarantined 64 persons in Lucknow who had attended both parties where Kapoor was present. The party on March 14 was attended by former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, her son Dushyant Singh, Jai Pratap Singh and several other top political leaders and bureaucrats.

Officials have taken samples of 14 politicians and bureaucrats who attended the two parties with the singer in Lucknow.

“A female traveller by the name of Kanika Kapoor had travelled to Lucknow from Mumbai on March 11. She had come back from London. She was quite careless, as she attended parties in Lucknow. We have put 64 persons under quarantine who were in the parties. We have been in touch with her since 5am, trying to ascertain details of all the people she was in touch with. She is under isolation right now, and her family has also been quarantined,” said Dr Vikasendu Agarwal, state surveillance officer, Lucknow.

“We will sit through Friday night going through details of people who came in close proximity her. There is no need to take samples of the people who were present in the health minister’s press conference, because samples are taken only of those who come in direct contact with a positive patient. However, it is a good move that people who attended the conference are undergoing self-quarantine,” Agarwal added.

By Friday evening, the health officials of Gautam Budh Nagar had tracked 1,527 persons, 266 samples were sent for COVID-19 tests, four reports have come positive, 167 have come negative and 96 reports are still awaited while four have been found positive for the virus. Around 1218 persons are under the surveillance.