New Delhi: Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, who received the first dose of Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate, Covaxin, during its Phase-III trial in the state two weeks ago, on Saturday said that he has tested positive for the virus.

On November 20, he was administered a dose of Covaxin at a hospital in Ambala, as part of its third phase trial.

Taking to Twitter, he said: “I have been tested Corona positive. I am admitted in Civil Hospital Ambala Cantt. All those who have come in close contact to (sic) me are advised to get themselves tested for corona.”

https://twitter.com/anilvijminister/status/1335093819654619137

This comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an all-party meeting that a coronavirus vaccine could be just weeks away.

Vij had offered to be the first volunteer for the third phase trial of Covaxin in Haryana last month. He was administered a trial dose of Covaxin at a hospital in Ambala on November 20. In October, the Drugs Controller General of India gave permission to Bharat Biotech for conducting the Phase-III clinical trial of Covaxin.

The Phase-III trials of Covaxin, being conducted in partnership with ICMR, involve 26,000 volunteers across India. It is the largest clinical trial being conducted for a COVID-19 vaccine in India.