Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, grandson Furqan Ahmed tested positive for novel coronavirus on Sunday night. They were admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills.
Meanwhile, the Minister’s son, Azam, too tested positive on Monday evening.
Sources close to Mr. Ali told The Hindu said that three days ago a team of health officials collected the swabs of the Minister and his family members for testing after he showed symptoms of fever, breathlessness, cough and cold, and the result came positive on Sunday evening. Results of other family members were negative. Around 11.30 p.m., he was rushed to the hospital.
On Wednesday, five security personnel of the 67-year-old Minister were diagnosed with the infection, following which his staff went into self-isolation and did not report, while the five gunmen were asked to quarantine themselves at their respective homes. Till Friday, Mr. Ali was actively taking part in several State programmes. Recently, he took part in the State government’s prestigious Haritha Haram programme along with several top police officials at the Goshamahal Police Stadium. The Minister along with Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, Additional CP (Traffic) Anil Kumar and other officials planted saplings.
Sources said that a medical team is likely to collect the swabs of the top police brass as they were in close contact with Mr. Ali on several occasions. Recently, three senior IPS officers with the Hyderabad City Police and another with RVBRR Telangana State Police Academy tested positive for the infection, and are under home quarantine.
Meanwhile, another senior dignitary holding a key position in the government was also tested positive for the virus.
