India’s total number of coronavirus cases rose to 56 on Tuesday, March 10, after six new cases were reported in Kerala and three in Bengaluru in Karnataka.
With this, 12 new cases have been reported in Kerala in the last three days and a total of four in Karnataka.
On Monday, a couple had tested positive for the virus in Pune – the first case to be reported from Maharashtra. The couple has a travel history to Dubai and is currently undergoing treatment at the Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital.
Late on Monday, a Bengaluru resident with a travel history to the United States tested positive for the virus. The man and his family are kept in the isolation ward of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) in the city.
Five other new cases of the virus were also reported on Monday, one each from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, Kerala, and Punjab, the Union Health Ministry officials said.
Globally, there are over 113,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and over 4,000 have died. In China, over 3,100 people have died from the virus, and there are over 80,700 confirmed cases.
Outside China, Italy surpassed South Korea to have the highest number of positive cases of the virus with over 9,100 infections and at least 463 deaths. While South Korea has over 7,500 infections and at least 54 deaths, Iran has over 7,161 infections and 237 deaths.
With six more cases reported from the state, all from Pathanamthitta district, the state has 15 confirmed cases – the highest in India. A three-year-old in Ernakulam had tested positive on Monday.
In the wake of the sudden spike in the number of cases, the state has increased the vigil. On Tuesday, the government announced shutting down of schools Class 7, colleges, movie theatres and cancel all public functions scheduled in March. All Madrasas, Anganawadis (nurseries), and similar educational bodies will also be shut. However, the Class 10 board exams and the annual exams of Class 8 and 9 will continue.
Cabinet Decisions | Fighting#Covid19â¡ï¸ State put under high alertâ¡ï¸ All public programs suspended till this 31stâ¡ï¸ Educational institutions of classes up to VII will remain closedâ¡ï¸ No change in exams for classes VIII to Xâ¡ï¸ Awareness programmes across the State
To prevent the spread of the virus, the government has also urged people to cancel weddings, religious gatherings and other events that would involve a mass gathering.
In the wake of Bengaluru’s first confirmed case of coronavirus, the Karnataka government on Monday declared an indefinite holiday for all schools in Bengaluru Rural and Bengaluru Urban until further notice.
While a holiday was declared on Sunday night for nursery classes, the government extended it to students till class 5.
All primary classes in BBMP , Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural dist. to be suspended and holidays for those children till further orders.(as decided in the meeting chaired by Chief Secretary)
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa held an emergency meeting with state health minister B Sriramulu and medical education minister Sudhakar on Tuesday afternoon after four new cases were reported in the state early in the day.
Earlier on Tuesday, 58 Indians were airlifted from virus-hit Iran in the first phase of the evacuation process. The Indian Air Force aircraft, C-17 Globemaster carrying the evacuated Indians landed in Ghaziabad early today.
First batch of 58 Indian pilgrims being brought back from#Iran. IAF C-17 taken off from Tehran and expected to land soon in Hindon.pic.twitter.com/IqZ8NUK1M6
The IAF aircraft had earlier evacuated 76 Indians and 36 foreign nationals from China’s Wuhan – the epicentre of the virus outbreak.
