World Bank Presidential Candidate Ajay Banga Tests Positive for Covid During Delhi Trip

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 24th March. World Bank presidential candidate Ajay Banga tested positive for COVID-19 during routine testing in New Delhi, where he was on the final leg of his world tour, and is currently quarantined in isolation, according to the Department of Treasury.

In the last two weeks, India has seen an increase in influenza and coronavirus cases. According to Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday, the country has recorded 1,134 new coronavirus cases, with 7,026 active cases.

Banga’s visit to New Delhi (March 23 and 24) is the final stop on his three-week global tour, which began in Africa and progressed to Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

“During routine testing, Ajay Banga tested positive for COVID-19 but remains asymptomatic. In adherence with local guidelines, he is quarantining in isolation,” the Department of Treasury said Thursday afternoon.

Ajay Banga, 63, was scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, and Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar while in India, according to a previous Treasury statement.

Soon after his nomination was announced, India endorsed Banga’s candidature.

Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom have all expressed their support for Mr Banga since then.

Banga met with senior government officials, stakeholders, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society during his global listening tour.

Along the way, he has gathered support for his candidature from advocates, academics, development experts, executives, Nobel Laureates, and former government officials.

If elected, Banga will use his experience living and working in emerging markets, as well as his expertise in forming public-private partnerships, to mobilise investments and action to address long-standing issues.

This includes his work at Mastercard, where he was instrumental in bringing 500 million previously unbanked people into the digital economy, as well as its support for 50 million small businesses.

According to data shared by the health department, 84 coronavirus cases were reported in New Delhi on Wednesday, with a positivity rate of 5.08 percent.

The city has seen an increase in the number of new Covid infections in recent days, as the country has seen a sharp increase in H3N2 influenza cases.