Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani tests positive for COVID-19 day after collapsing mid-speech

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani tested positive for COVID-19. He has been admitted to a hospital, ANI reported.

Vijay Rupani, 64 collapsed on stage while addressing a rally for upcoming civic polls in Nizampura area of Vadodara. He was given first aid on the stage after he collapsed and was then flown in a helicopter from Vadodara to Ahmedabad and admitted to U N Mehta Hospital.

No medical bulletin was issued by the hospital till late at night.

“Rupani fainted on stage and I gave him a primary medical treatment. He was fine and walked back to his car from the stage,” said Vadodara city BJP president Dr Vijay Shah who was present on the dais at the time of the incident.

“Rupani’s security guards caught hold of him when he fell. He was given first aid and was taken to the airport (from where he flew to Ahmedabad),” BJP leader Bharat Danger said.

“Rupani was unwell for the last two days, but instead of cancelling his public meetings held in Jamnagar on Saturday and in Vadodara on Sunday, he preferred to continue,” Danger said.

Elections to six municipal corporations including Vadodara will be held on February 21 while those for municipalities, districts and taluka panchayats will be held on February 28.

Gujarat is among the worst-affected states due to the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Even as the state has been able to bring the daily COVID-19 count under 250, the total tally stands at 2.65 lakh with over 4400 deaths due to the deadly virus.