Thiruvananthapuram, October 7: Kerala Power Minister MM Mani on Wednesday announced that he has tested positive for coronavirus. The 75-year old minister, himself announced the development through a Facebook post. He said he has been admitted at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for treatment. Mani is the fourth minister to test positive for COVID-19 in the Pinarayi Vijayan led LDF government in Kerala. The COVID-19 tally in the southern state stood at 2,40,799 as of Tuesday. COVID-19 Vaccine Latest News Update: Anti-Coronavirus Vaccine May Be Ready by End of 2020, Says WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Earlier, Thomas Isaac (Finance), E P Jayarajan (Industries) and V S Sunil Kumar (Agriculture) had tested positive for the coronavirus and all of them have recovered. Reports inform that Mani's personal staff have been sent into quarantine. According to a report by Mathrubhumi, Mani's private secretary was diagnosed with the disease last week. People who have come into immediate contact with the minister in the past week have been instructed to go into quarantine.

In June this year, Mani had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and underwent a surgery for the same. Mani is a CPI(M) leader and the current power minister of Kerala. He is elected as MLA from Udumbanchola, Idukki. He was the former District Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 07, 2020 07:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).