Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time in eight months, and was being shifted to a private hospital for treatment.

The 78 year-old Yeddiyurappa was earlier hospitalised on August 2, 2020 after he tested positive for coronavirus.

"Upon having mild fever, today I got tested for Covid-19 and my report has come out positive. Although I am doing fine, I am being hospitalised based on the advice of doctors," he later tweeted.

He requested all those who had come in contact with him recently to be observant and exercise self-quarantine

"As the Chief Minister was suffering from fever, he had gone to Ramaiah hospital for general checkup, where COVID test was conducted and as the report has come positive, he will be shifted to the Manipal Hospital," the CMO said in a statement.

Yediyurappa was last year admitted to the same Manipal Hospital for nine days, and was discharged on recovery.

The chief minister had cut short his campaign programme for bypolls in Belagavi on Thursday, due to high fever and exhaustion, official sources said.

Earlier on Friday, he had chaired an emergency meeting with Health Minister K Sudhakar and top officials for about one-and-half hours regarding COVID situation in the state and had addressed the media.