New Delhi: The number of confirmed cases of a novel coronavirus in the country has risen to 52, with two fresh positive cases — one each from Delhi and Rajasthan — being reported, the health ministry said on Wednesday.
Giving details of the breakup, the ministry said five positive cases have been reported in Delhi, while nine persons were diagnosed with the infection in Uttar Pradesh till Wednesday morning. The total number of 52 confirmed cases includes 16 Italians, the ministry said.
Karnataka and Maharashtra have reported four and two confirmed cases of COVID-19 respectively. Ladakh has recorded two positive cases.
Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab have reported one case each, the ministry said.
Kerala has till now reported nine cases which includes the three patients who were discharged last month following recovery.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who spoke to a few COVID-19 patients admitted at Medanta and Safdarjung hospitals through video calls on Tuesday, said all the people infected by the disease were stable and showing signs of recovery.
According to the protocol currently followed, a suspected case is tested at least twice before it is confirmed as ‘positive’.
Amid rising cases of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, India on Tuesday barred entry of the nationals of three more countries — France, Germany, and Spain — suspending the regular as well as e-visas granted to them till date.
“All regular (sticker) Visas/e-Visas granted to nationals of France, Germany, and Spain and issued on or before March 11 and who have not yet entered India stand suspended with immediate effect,” said a Bureau of Immigration notification issued late Tuesday night.
Regular visas, including e-visas, granted to all foreign nationals who have travel history to these countries on or after February 1 and who have not yet entered India also stand suspended, it said.
Issuing a travel advisory, the health ministry also called for passengers with travel history to China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran, Malaysia, France, Spain, and Germany to undergo self-imposed quarantine for a period of 14 days from the date of their arrival, and their employers to facilitate work-from-home for such employees during this period.
India had already suspended visas granted to the nationals of Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan, and China.
The Union Health Ministry has strongly urged people to refrain from traveling to China, Italy, Iran, the Republic of Korea, Japan, France, Spain and Germany and advised them to avoid non-essential travel abroad in view of the coronavirus outbreak.