What is hospitalized Neeraj Chopra’s COVID-19 status

Neeraj Chopra developed high fever and missed the felicitation functions organised by the Punjab and Haryana governments on Thursday and Friday last week.

A visibly exhausted Neeraj Chopra at a felicitation event at Khandra village near Panipat. (Photo: PTI)

Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has been hospitalized in Panipat near his village in Samalkha due to high fever. Chopra, who was being felicitated at an event near Panipat and left the stage on Tuesday (August 17) after suffering from high fever due to exhaustion. The javelin star has been attending various felicitation functions in Delhi.

Finally, he returned home at his native Khandra village, around 15 km from Panipat, on Tuesday to a rousing reception from the locals. However, sources close to the Indian athlete informed news agency PTI that Neeraj Chopra had tested negative for COVID-19 so far.

“He has tested negative for COVID-19. But we have put all his engagements on hold for the time being,” a source privy to the development informed news agency PTI.

Haryana: A feast for about 30,000 people prepared in
Samalkha, Panipat to welcome Olympic Gold medallist Neeraj Chopra. home "He will be receiving a grand welcome, I have prepared 'churma' for him. We will keep his gold medal in 'mandir' (temple),"says Neeraj's mother Saroj Devi pic.twitter.com/LI34WOBqpZ — ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2021

The day Chopra returned from Tokyo, he and other Olympic medal winners were felicitated by the sports ministry. The next day, he attended a felicitation function organised by the Athletics Federation of India.

After that, Chopra developed high fever and missed the felicitation functions organised by the Punjab and Haryana governments on Thursday and Friday last week. He was tested for COVID-19 but returned negative ahead of the Independence Day event on Sunday.

He, however, made it to the high tea hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind for the Indian Olympic contingent. On Sunday, Chopra was among the Tokyo Olympians who attended the Independence Day function at the Red Fort. In the evening, he was the cynosure of all eyes at the felicitation function organised by Indian Olympic Association (IOA).