In a shocking development, two DMK Ministers in Tamil Nadu have tested positive for the COVID-19 viral infection in two days. The development has come days after Chief Minister MK Stalin has formed a new government in the state after ousting the ADMK regime with a spectacular victory in the recently held assembly elections. 

According to reports, SS Sivasankar, who is the sitting Minister for Backward Classes Welfare has on Sunday announced that he had confirmed to have contracted the viral infection. Sivasankar was elected from the Kunnam constituency in the Ariyalur district in the current assembly and he is one of the fifteen first-time ministers in the Stalin-led administration. 

On Sunday, he announced that he has tested positive for the COVID-19 pandemic post which he has quarantined himself at his residence. In light of testing positive for the pandemic, Sivasankar didn't attend the cabinet meeting that was held on Sunday to discuss the COVID-19 situation and the containment strategies in the state. Sivasankar has become the first minister in the current cabinet to test positive for the viral infection. 

While the DMK leaders had expressed their wishes for Sivasankar for a speedy recovery, they had shockingly come to know that another minister has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. According to reports, Mathiventhan, who is the sitting Minister for Tourism, has on Monday confirmed to have contracted the viral infection. Like Sivasankar, Mathiventhan is also one of the first-time ministers in Tamil Nadu. 

The reports say that Mathiventhan had attended the cabinet meeting on Sunday and after testing positive, he had isolated himself. Tamil Nadu has on Monday entered the fresh phase of the complete lockdown which will be active till May 24. The state has been grimly caught up with the horrendous second wave of the pandemic, which is more severe than the preceding one.

Containing the pandemic has been a larger challenge for the newly elected government and MK Stalin has been expediting the measures and strategies in curbing the spread in the state and the implementation of the lockdown is one of the measures of the government to stem out the pandemic. According to reports, both the ministers had skipped the swearing-in ceremony of the interim speaker on Monday after testing positive.

On Monday, Governor Banwarilal Purohit has administered the oath of office and secrecy to DMK MLA Pichandi as the Interim Speaker of the assembly and he will be swearing-in all the newly-elected MLAs in the first session of the current assembly that will be taking place on May 11. On Sunday, Tamil Nadu has reported 28,897 fresh COVID-19 cases, which had become the highest single-day rise recorded by the state since the outbreak began. 

The state had also reported 23,515 fresh discharges and 236 deaths on Sunday. Overall, Tamil Nadu has reported 13,80,259 COVID-19 cases so far as of Sunday of which 1,44,547 are active, 12,20,064 have been discharged, and 15,648 had succumbed to the viral infection.