Vijay Rupani could be in hospital for a week: Gujarat deputy CM

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who has tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), may have to be in the hospital for a week, his deputy Nitin Patel said on Monday. “He was meeting people daily and also holding public meetings for local elections. He fell unconscious in Vadodara yesterday as he was tired and not well. He was taken to a hospital in Ahmedabad. He tested positive for Covid-19. He might have to remain admitted for a week,” Patel was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Earlier in the day, Patel had said Rupani was fine and that would be kept under observation for 24 hours. The 64-year-old Rupani tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday, a day after he collapsed on a stage while addressing his third rally for upcoming civic polls in the Nizampura area of Vadodara. He was flown to Ahmedabad and admitted to the UN Mehta Hospital in the night.

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"Rupaniji fainted due to tiredness and dehydration. We have done a thorough checkup and all his tests are normal," Dr RK Patel of the UN Mehta Hospital told reporters earlier in the day.

The hospital said in a bulletin on Monday that Rupani's sample was collected on Sunday night and sent for RT-PCR test. According to the hospital, the Gujarat chief minster has mild symptoms of the viral disease. "His (Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani's) condition is stable. All his medical check-up reports including EGC and CT scan are normal. There is nothing to worry about. He will be kept at the hospital for 24 hours just for observation," Dr RK Patel said on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inquired about Rupani's health over the phone and asked him to get himself thoroughly checked and to take proper rest, a statement issued by the chief minister's office had said.

(With agency inputs)