Coronavirus cases in country rise to 110
The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India has gone up to 110 as Uttarakhand on Sunday reported its first case and one fresh case each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of cases includes two persons who died in Delhi and Karnataka. While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia died on Tuesday, 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.
Uttarakhand reported its first case on Sunday. Delhi has so far reported seven positive cases and Uttar Pradesh 12.
Karnataka has six coronavirus patients while Maharashtra 32, Ladakh three and Jammu and Kashmir two. Telangana has reported three cases. Rajasthan has 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.
According to the ministry's data, 13 people have been discharged so far, including the three Kerala patients.
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.
Till now 12,76,046 passengers have been screened at 30 designated airports, according to the health ministry.
An order has been placed for the procurement of an additional over 80,50,000 N95 masks and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, it said.
It also clarified that a 71-year-old man from Maharashtra's Buldhana who was admitted to a private hospital and died during treatment on Saturday has tested negative for coronavirus infection. He had returned from Saudi Arabia recently and had diabetes and high blood pressure.
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.
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