“I have added to the Covid count by testing positive. Mild symptoms n I hope it stays that way,” 67-year-old Shaw posted on Twitter.

Replying to her tweet, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “So sorry to hear this, @KiranShaw. We need you hale & hearty soon! Be well my friend.”

The news of Shaw testing positive comes at a time when Bengaluru has seen a sharp surge in Covid-19 cases since the beginning of July.

Karnataka and its growth capital, Bengaluru, are among the worst covid-19 affected regions in the country and have shown no signs of slowing down.

Bengaluru reported 2,053 new cases on Monday, taking its overall tally to 91,864 cases of which 34,408 are active.

Shaw is among a slew of high-profile personalities who have tested positive for Covid-19 in Bengaluru.

Karnataka chief minister B.S.Yediyurappa, health minister B.Sriramulu and at least two other cabinet ministers have tested positive in recent weeks. Former chief minister and Congress’ leader of the opposition Siddaramaiah had also tested positive for the virus. Yediyurappa, Sriramulu and Siddaramaiah have since recovered.

The situation in other parts of Karnataka has also started to witness a Covid-19 surge, which adds to the challenges of the state government that is also facing the problems of heavy rains, floods and landslides.

The Covid-19 cdeath toll in Karnataka surpassed the 4,000-mark on Monday as the state reported 115 more fatalities.