Coronavirus: Number of cases in India surge to 151, says Health Ministry

The number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in India has risen to 151,  said Health Ministry. Earlier, the count  was 147 with new cases detected in Uttar Pradesh, Bengaluru, and Telangana.

Mwanwhile, the Indian Army reported its first case of coronavirus after a 34-year-old soldier of Ladakh Scout regiment tested positive for the COVID-19

Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, according to the Health Ministry.

The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Delhi has so far reported ten positive cases which includes one foreigner, while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, including one foreigner.

Maharashtra has 42 cases, including three foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 27 cases which include two foreign nationals.

Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to eight and Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported six cases which include two foreigners.

Rajasthan has also reported four cases including that of two foreigners. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Punjab have reported one case each.

In Haryana, there are 17 cases, which include fourteen foreigners.

According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month.

Three persons infected with the virus have died so far, the latest casualty being a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai who succumbed on Tuesday.

A 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia and a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for coronavirus were the other deceased.

The government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory.

This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently.

With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31.