28 positive coronavirus cases confirmed including 16 Italians: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

‘So far India has reported 28 positive coronavirus cases, this includes 16 Italians,’ confirmed Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday.

Addressing media about the recent rise in the COVD-19 cases in India, the minister said ‘from now on, all flights and passengers will be part of universal screening, not just the 12 countries which we had listed earlier.’

Fear gripped people across India after an Italian man was tested positive in Jaipur on Tuesday.

According to the Health Ministry, about 5,89,000 people were screened at airports and over 15,000 people at minor and major seaports and over 10 lakhs at the border of Nepal, till yesterday.

The fresh cases of COVID-19 have been reported from New Delhi, Telangana, and Rajasthan where an Italian national has been found positive with the infection in Jaipur. Last month, three cases were recorded in Kerala — who have now recovered and discharged from hospital.

Global deaths due to coronavirus outbreak on Monday rose above 3,000 with the new count in China mainland rising to 2,912.

The deadly virus, that originated in China late last year, continues to spread around the world.