Eight more positive cases of new coronavirus (Covid-19), which has so far claimed more than 3,500 lives and infected 100,000 more globally, were confirmed in several states and UTs of India taking the total number of infected people in the country to 39, reports BSS.
Of the new cases, five people of a family tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala, two in union territory (UT) Ladakh and another one in Tamil Nadu, according to official sources.
In Kerala, three of the family had recently visited Italy, one of the nations that reported the most cases of coronavirus.
State Health Minister in Kerala, KK Shailaja said the family did not share their travel history at the airport and were not screened.
“They also refused to be hospitalized initially and we had to persuade them,” the minister said.
The five people who tested positive are residents of Pathanamthitta district. All have been admitted to the Pathnamathitta general hospital and are under observation, media reports said today.
India’s first three cases of coronavirus were also reported from Kerala. All three patients — medical students from Wuhan — have recovered from the disease.
Besides, the others two infected persons from Ladakh have a travel history from Iran, one of the worst-affected country outside China, the epicenter of the new coronavirus where at least 3,000 people have died and 80,000 others have been infected.
The third patient from Tamil Nadu also has a travel history from Oman. “All the three patients are in a stable condition,” said Union State Minister for Health C Vijayabaskar here yesterday.
However, in the wake of new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held review meeting with the health specialists and government officials concerned of different ministries to discuss ways how to contain the spread of the disease.
Modi directed the official concerned to identify places for sufficient quarantine and make provision for critical care.
Earlier, Modi postponed his Brussels visit for the India-EU Summit, which has been deferred due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Indian premier was supposed to visit Brussels to attend the India-EU Summit later this month.
In the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the Delhi government ordered to remain close of all government, aided, private, MCD and NDMC schools till March 31.
All primary schools in several districts in Jammu and Kashmir including Srinagar have been closed after two people were suspected to be infected by the highly contagious novel coronavirus, the government said.
On the other hand, the central government has intensified thermal screening of passengers in all airports to contain spread of the new coronavirus.