Senior Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan tested positive for Covid along with 13 other prisoners in Sitapur jail, officials said on Saturday.
The 72-year-old Rampur MP and the other prisoners tested positive for the infection in both rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests, said RS Yadav, jailer, Sitapur Jail.
He said the Covid-19 tests were conducted after complaints of fever and cough. Initially, the rapid antigen was done and later the samples were sent for the RT-PCR test, the reports of which came positive late Friday night, he said.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party (SP) demanded that Khan be shifted to a high-level hospital considering his age.
“News of MP Azam Khan getting Covid-19 infected is extremely saddening. Considering the age of Azam Khan, he should be immediately shifted out of the jail hospital, and admitted to a high-level hospital by the government," the party said in a tweet in Hindi.
Yadav said the treatment of the SP leader is going on as per Covid-19 protocol and he has been isolated.
"Azam Khan is under the observation of doctors and his condition is stable," the jailer said, adding that the other Covid-19 positive prisoners have also been isolated and are under treatment.
{{/usCountry}}"Azam Khan is under the observation of doctors and his condition is stable," the jailer said, adding that the other Covid-19 positive prisoners have also been isolated and are under treatment.
{{/usCountry}}Khan, along with his son and wife, has been in jail since February last year in connection with various cases of land grabbing, encroachment and others.