India's coronavirus cases spike to 147; Maharashtra worst-hit with 47 patients

The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in India rose to 147, including 122 Indians and 24 foreign nationals, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed on Wednesday (March 18).

Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with the positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the ministry added in a statement.

Maharashtra, which reported a new case of coronavirus on Wednesday, taking its number of cases to 47, is the worst hit.

Delhi has so far reported 10 positive cases which include one foreigner.

Karnataka has so far reported 11 coronavirus cases. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to eight and Jammu and Kashmir to three. Telangana has reported five 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 16 cases, which include 14 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.

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While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia died last Tuesday, a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for coronavirus passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Friday night.

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.

(With inputs from agencies.)