Goa Speaker Patnekar hospitalised, says feeling fine (Lead)

Panaji, Aug 26 (IANS) Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar was admitted to the Goa Medical College hospital here on Wednesday, though the reason for the same was not known.Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Patnekar visited the top government hospital in the state for examination on Wednesday."He had gone to the GMC for a check-up, but was asked to get admitted," Sawant told reporters outside his official residence here.In a post on social media, Patnekar said that he has been hospitalised for the purpose of conducting medical tests and is feeling "perfectly fine"."With regards to the recent news about my health, I would like to state that I had come to the GMC on prior appointment for some routine checkup. My doctor advised me to do some further tests for which I have been admitted to the hospital. I am feeling perfectly fine," Patnekar said in his post on Facebook.Over the last few weeks, four Legislators have tested positive for Covid-19.Former Chief Minister Churchill Alemao and former Deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar were admitted to a private hospital near Panaji after testing positive.Two other MLAs, namely former CM Ravi Naik and BJP's Nilkanth Halarnkar, had also tested positive earlier, and are currently in home isolation.
--IANS maya/dpb