India's home minister tests positive for coronavirus

NEW DELHI

India's minister of home affairs said on Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19, and is being hospitalized on the advice of doctors.

Amit Shah, one of the country's most powerful politicians, and a close aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, made the announcement in Hindi language on Twitter.

“I request all of you who have come in contact with me in the last few days to isolate yourself and get tested,” he said.

India’s coronavirus tally crossed 17 million on Sunday, with the South Asian country reporting over 50,000 new cases in the last 24 hours. Over a million people have also recovered.

“A staggering more than 51,000 recoveries were registered in India in the last 24 hours. With 51,225 patients cured and discharged, India’s total recoveries from COVID-19 have touched 11,45,629,” said a statement by the Health Ministry,

Meanwhile, Bollywood's veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, who contracted the virus on July 11, has recovered.

His son Abhishek Bachchan, who also tested positive along with his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and daughter, disclosed the news on Twitter.

"My father, thankfully, has tested negative... and has been discharged from the hospital... Thank you all for all your prayers and wishes for him," he said.

Amitabh, 77, has achieved global fame during his long and illustrious career.

Aishwarya, a former Miss World, and daughter Aaradhya were discharged from a Mumbai hospital after testing negative for COVID-19 on July 27.

Abhishek, however, is still virus positive. "I'll beat this and come back healthier! Promise," he wrote in another tweet.