With nearly 50 fresh cases in 24 hours, Coronavirus patients in India surge to 223

The total number of COVID-19 cases in India has now climbed up to 223, including 32 foreigners, the Union Health Ministry said on Friday.

"The total number of positive cases of COVID-19 in India now stands at 223, including 32 foreigners. Four people have died so far, one each in Delhi, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra," said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

As many as 23 people have been cured of the lethal infection which has claimed over 10,000 lives globally.

Maharashtra remains the worst-hit state from coronavirus with 52 people, including 3 foreign nationals, confirmed positive for the highly contagious virus.

While 28 cases have been reported in Kerala, the national capital has 17 people infected with coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh which borders the national capital has 23 coronavirus cases, including 1 foreign national.

Two cases have been reported from West Bengal and Odisha, Uttarakhand (3), and 1 each from Chhattisgarh, Puducherry and Chandigarh.

As per official data, no new case was reported in Haryana and Karnataka where respective tallies stand at 17 and 15.

Newly carved union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh reported four and 10 cases of the virus, respectively.

In Andhra Pradesh, three persons have been infected from the deadly virus.

The Health Ministry has issued an advisory on measures to enforce social distancing and suggesting shut down of all educational institutions, gymnasiums, museums, cultural and social centres, swimming pools and theatres till March 31.

The government has also tightened the lockdown on the spread of coronavirus cases with travel restrictions prohibiting entry of all passengers from the European Union, European Free Trade Association, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan.

The centre has also banned the operations of international commercial passenger flights in India from March 22 to March 29.