All 289 Dubai-bound passengers off loaded at Kochi Airport after UK man tests positive for COVID-19

A UK citizen on Sunday tested positive for coronavirus infection and was deboarded from an aircraft while he was trying to leave through a Dubai-bound Emirates flight from the Cochin International Airport in Kerala.

He had allegedly boarded the flight without notifying the authorities. The patient's samples were taken yesterday and he was advised to remain in quarantine.

As other passengers had also boarded the flight, all 289 passengers on board the aircraft were deboarded after the news came to light. The coronavirus patient, along with the other passengers, will be rushed to the hospital soon.

According to authorities, the UK citizen was previously in the Tea Country Resort in Munnar at Idukki district.

Meanwhile, VS Sunil Kumar, Minister of Agriculture, Kerala, urged the public to not panic over the situation and assured that the airport will not be closed following the issue.

Notably, the number of coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 107, including foreign nationals, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare today.

In the wake of spurt in cases of coronavirus across the country, the Central Government on Saturday decided to treat the deadly virus as a "notified disaster".

Coronavirus, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has so far spread to more than 100 countries, infecting over 1,30,000 people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared coronavirus a pandemic.