Five more test positive for new coronavirus in Punjab; cases rise to 38

Five more persons tested positive for the new coronavirus in Punjab on Friday, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 38 in the state, officials said.

More than 25 people contracted the virus after coming in contact with a 70-year-old Nawanshahr resident, a coronavirus positive case who died of a cardiac arrest on March 18, and his primary contacts.

Of the total 38 cases, 14 were family members of the septuagenarian.

Of the five fresh cases, one was from Jalandhar and three were from Hoshiarpur, according to a media bulletin. The fifth was a Mohali-based woman.

Meanwhile, Punjab's first coronavirus patient was discharged from an Amritsar hospital on Friday, a day after the person was found negative for the virus following a retest.

Nawanshahr has reported 19 cases, Mohali and Hoshiarpur six each, Jalandhar five, and Amritsar and Ludhiana one each.

A total of 789 samples have been tested in Punjab out of which 480 were found negative; results 271 were awaited.

Close contacts of all the positive cases have been put under quarantine and were being monitored, the medical bulletin added.