Actor Prem Chopra, 86, wife hospitalised after testing positive for COVID-19

COVID-19: Prem Chopra is best known for playing iconic villain roles in Hindi films such as "Bobby", "Do Raaste", and "Kati Patang".

Veteran actor Prem Chopra and his wife Uma Chopra were on Monday hospitalised in Mumbai after they tested positive for COVID-19, a senior doctor treating the couple said.

The couple has been admitted to the city’s Lilavati Hospital, said Dr Jalil Parkar who is treating them, adding that they are likely to be discharged in "a day or two".

"They both have received the monoclonal antibody cocktail and are recuperating well. Hopefully (he) will be discharged in a day or two. At the age of 86 years (he) is responding quite well," Dr Parkar was quoted as saying in a statement by news agency PTI.

Chopra is known for playing iconic villain roles in Hindi films such as "Bobby", "Do Raaste", and "Kati Patang".

Prem Chopra and his wife are among a strong of Bollywood celebrities to test positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks, at a time when India is seeing a massive surge in infections and a fast spread of the Omicron variant of the virus.

On Monday, television and film producer Ekta Kapoor, actor John Abraham and wife Priya Runchal too tested positive.

Last month, actors Kareena Kapoor Khan Amrita Arora, Arjun Kapoor, Anil Kapoor’s daughter Rhea Kapoor and husband Karan Boolani tested positive for coronavirus.

Actors Mrunal Thakur, Nora Fatehi, veteran filmmaker Rahul Rawai also tested positive for the virus recently.

Maharashtra has the highest number of Omicron cases, followed by Delhi.

India logged 37,379 fresh COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, slightly higher than the previous day’s figure. A total of 1,892 Omicron cases have been reported in the country so far.

(With inputs from PTI)