Coronavirus: Confirmed cases in India rise to 107; Maharashtra has highest number at 31

New Delhi, March 15

Coronavirus cases in India have risen to 107, with the largest spike coming from Maharashtra, the ministry of health's website showed on Sunday.

The largest spike came from Maharashtra, where figures went from 19 to 31.  

The number of cases includes the two people who died in Delhi and Karnataka.

While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia died on Thursday, a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for coronavirus passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Friday night.

Delhi has reported seven positive cases and Uttar Pradesh 11 so far. Karnataka has six coronavirus patients while Maharashtra 31, Ladakh three and Jammu and Kashmir 2. Telangana reported three cases.

Besides, Rajasthan also reported two cases. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab have reported one case each.

Kerala has recorded 22 cases, including three patients who were discharged last month after they recovered from the contagious infection with flu-like symptoms.

The total number of confirmed cases includes 17 foreigners—16 Italian tourists and a Canadian, the ministry officials said.

Amid rising coronavirus cases in India, the government has asked people not to panic, saying no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there have only been a few cases of local transmission so far and that it is "not a health emergency" in India at present.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, a Health Ministry official said over 4,000 people who had come in contact with the 93 positive cases have been identified through contact tracing and were being tracked while 42,000 people across the country are under community surveillance.

He said all essential facilities like community surveillance, quarantine, isolation wards, adequate personal protective equipment (PPEs), trained manpower, rapid response teams are being strengthened further in all states and union territories.

The government on Wednesday suspended all visas, barring a few categories like diplomatic and employment, in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

It has asked Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

All incoming international passengers returning to India should self-monitor their health and follow the required do's and dont's as detailed by the government. 

HIGHLIGHTS

Sample of a 71-year-old man who died in quarantine for coronavirus on Saturday in Maharashtra’s Buldhana came back negative, a health official said.

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Puducherry government on Sunday declared holiday for all pre KG and primary schools in the Union Territory until further orders.

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Telangana closes all bars, clubs, tourism bars, permit rooms of A4 shops till March 21. 

Assam government on Sunday ordered shutting down of educational institutions, gymnasiums, swimming pools and cinema halls with immediate effect till March 29 in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak.

Indian Railways start disinfecting Mumbai train coaches. Indian Railways workers disinfect train in Delhi. 

Mumbai Police issues an order for tour operators, asking them not to take any groups to foreign or domestic destinations for tourism purpose till March 31, an official said.

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Holidays declared for up to class five in all schools in Tamil Nadu till March 31 as part of preventive measures for  coronavirus, says government.

Maharashtra highest number of positve cases at 31

A 59-year-old woman tested positive for coronavirus in Aurangabad city of Maharashtra on Sunday, a state health official said. 

289 passengers offloaded at Kochi airport after UK national tests positive for coronavirus  

Telangana has declared a lockdown throughout the state and released Rs 500 crore to put preventive measures in place. Educational institutions, malls and gyms etc have already been shut

Confirmed cases:

Maharashtra: 31

Kerala:  22

Haryana: 14 (all foreign nationals)

Uttar Pradesh: 11 (including one foreign national)

Delhi: 7

Karnataka: 6

Rajasthan: 4 (including two foreign nationals)

Telengana: 3

Ladakh: 3

J&K: 2

Tamil Nadu: 1

Punjab: 1

Andhra Pradesh: 1

At least 289 passengers of a Dubai-bound flight were offloaded at the airport here on Sunday shortly before takeoff after a UK national among them tested positive for novel coronavirus, official sources said here.

The passenger belonged to a group of 19 holidaying in the hill resort town of Munnar in Kerala and was under surveillance, a Cochin International Airport Limited spokesman said. He joined the group to reach the Kochi airport without informing authorities in Munnar, he said.

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Airport officials said later that 20 people on the flight had been detained while the rest were allowed to go. 

Indian Railways also disinfected coaches of Mumbai's local trains. Some 80 lakh suburban commuters travel by Mumbai's local trains every day, as well as long-distance trains.

The Centre as part of its measures to contain the spread of the disease on Friday announced that people will be allowed to travel through 19 of 37 land border checkposts from Saturday midnight and services of the Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses will continue to remain suspended till April 15.

Only four Indo-Nepal border checkposts will remain operational, and for citizens of Bhutan and Nepal visa-free entry to the country will continue, the official said.

The government on Wednesday suspended all visas, barring a few categories like diplomatic and employment, in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

It has asked Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel abroad.

All incoming international passengers returning to India should self-monitor their health and follow the required do’s and dont’s as detailed by the government.

117 put in home isolation in Mizoram                 

A total of 117 people with novel coronavirus-like symptoms have been put in home isolation in Mizoram, a senior health official said on Sunday.

Though Mizoram has not yet reported any positive case of coronavirus, 117 people have been home quarantined as a precautionary measure, Health department principal director F Lallianhlira.

"Even though no positive case has been reported, we have to remain alert," he said.

Lallianhlira said all sections of the society must make efforts to prevent the spread of the disease in the state.

The state health department on Saturday conducted an awareness drive on precautions that are needed to be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The state government has clamped Section 144 of the CrPC along the state's international borders with Myanmar and Bangladesh to prevent the entry of people from the neighbouring countries.

Woman tests positive for coronavirus in Aurangabad                 

A 59-year-old woman tested positive for coronavirus in Aurangabad city of Maharashtra on Sunday, a state health official said.

With this, the number of coronavirus positive cases has gone up to 32 in the state.

"The woman has tested positive for coronavirus infection. She had travelled to Russia and Kazakhstan. She has been quarantined at Dhoot Hospital in Aurangabad," the official said.

Meanwhile, the sample of a 71-year-old man who died in quarantine for coronavirus on Saturday in Maharashtra’s Buldhana came back negative, a health official said.

It was feared earlier that the septuagenarian became the first victim of Covid-19 in the state, which has reported 32 confirmed cases as on Sunday.

U’khand government declares coronavirus an epidemic

The Uttarakhand government has declared novel coronavirus an epidemic and shut all multiplexes, cinema halls, degree colleges and technical institutes across the state till March 31, official sources said.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state council of ministers here late on Saturday night.

However, medical colleges will remain open, they said.

Under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, the Centre has authorised state governments to take preventive measures to control the spread of coronavirus, state government spokesperson and Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik said.

Assam shuts schools

The Assam government on Sunday ordered shutting down of educational institutions, gymnasiums, swimming pools and cinema halls with immediate effect till March 29 in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak.

Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, addressing a press conference here said, "Even though no positive case has been detected in the state so far, we are taking all precautionary measures." — Agencies

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