NEW DELHI, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- India's federal junior minister for culture and tourism Prahlad Singh Patel has tested positive for COVID-19.

Patel took to social media networking platform on Thursday to announce that he has contracted the infection, requesting his close contacts to remain cautious.

"Last night my COVID-19 report came positive, people who met me on Tuesday should be cautious," the minister wrote on twitter.

The 60-year-old politician is the tenth federal minister to test positive for the highly contagious disease.

On Wednesday night India's federal minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari tested positive for COVID-19.

Reports said both Patel and Gadkari attended parliament proceedings on Monday. Both the ministers were reportedly seated in front rows with other ministers in close vicinity.

The Monsoon Session of the parliament is currently underway in New Delhi. Indian parliament had mandated a COVID-19 negative certificate for all entrants entering the complex.

India is in the grip of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the cases are increasing with each passing day.

The country Thursday said the number of COVID-19 cases has reached 5,118,253 including 83,198 deaths. During the past 24 hours, 97,894 (highest single-day spike) new COVID-19 cases and 1,132 related deaths were recorded in the country.

Globally India is the second worst-hit country due to COVID-19 pandemic.