Mumbai, May 24: Maharashtra cabinet minister Ashok Shankarrao Chavan has tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday. According to reports, Ashok Chavan is admitted to a hospital in Nanded district of Maharashtra. His condition is reportedly stable. Chavan is an MLA from Bhokar Vidhan Sabha constituency in Nanded and is currently serving as the Public Welfare Department (PWD) Minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray. He was also former chief minister of the state. Chavan served as CM from December 8, 2008 to November 9, 2010 Congress leader Sanjay Jha Tests Positive For COVID-19, Says He is 'Asymptomatic' and Under Home Quarantine.

Chavan is the second Maharashtra Minister to test positive for COVID-19. Last month, Jitendra Ahwad, Housing Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, was also diagnosed with COVID-19. The senior NCP leader was discharged from a hospital on May 10. He had also asked his supporters and party workers not to meet him for a month.

Tweet by Arjun Modhwadia, Former President Gujarat Pradesh Congress:

Maharashtra is  the worst-hit by coronavirus outbreak in IndiaIt also became the first Indian state whose COVID-19 tally crossed the 50,000-mark. Maharashtra witnessed the sharpest single-day spike of over 3,000 COVID-19 cases COVID-19 cases on Sunday. Fifty-eight people also lost their lives in the state due to the deadly virus. Till now,  50,231 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the state.  The deadly virus claimed more than 1,600 lives in Maharshtra.

In Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra, alone,  the number of COVID-19 cases crossed 30,000. In this city, coronavirus cases surged to 30,542 on Sunday. The death toll also reached  988 here. Nationwide, the number of coronavirus reached 1,31,868.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2020 11:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).