Coronavirus Cases Mount to 126, Fresh Cases Reported Across States

New Delhi: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 126 on Tuesday after fresh cases were reported from several states, the Health Ministry said.

The cases include 22 foreign nationals and three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Delhi has so far reported seven positive cases while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 13 cases, including one foreigner. Meanwhile, the UP government has directed educational institutions, including schools, to remain closed till April 2, according to Minister Shrikant Sharma.

Karnataka has eight coronavirus patients while Maharashtra 39, including three foreigners. Ladakh has reported four cases while Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported four cases.

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

In Haryana, there are 15 cases, which includes fourteen foreigners, while Uttarakhand has reported one case.

Kerala has recorded 24 cases including two foreign nationals. The number also includes three patients who were discharged last month after they recovered from the contagious infection with flu-like symptoms.

According to the ministry's data, 13 people have been discharged so far, including the three Kerala patients.

Three persons infected with the virus have died so far.

On Tuesday, a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai died of the novel coronavirus.

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

Amid rising coronavirus cases in India, the government has said no community transmission of the virus has been observed and there have only been a few cases of local transmission so far.

With the World Health Organisation declaring COVID-19 a pandemic, a health ministry official said over 52 000 people who had come in contact with the 125 positive cases have been identified through contact tracing and were under vigorous surveillance.

He said all essential facilities like community surveillance, quarantine, isolation wards, adequate personal protective equipment (PPEs), trained manpower, rapid response teams are being strengthened further in all states and union territories.

With the positive cases of COVID-19 showing an increase, the government has proposed a set of social distancing measures to be in force till March 31.

Delhi ASI Monuments Closed

The Archaeological Survey of India on Tuesday ordered shutting down of all its centrally protected monuments, and cancelled all permissions given for filming, photography and cultural events within its premises till March 31 as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus.

A formal order was issued a day after Tourism and Culture Minister Prahlad Patel had announced the move and instructed ASI to do the needful to contain the spread of the virus in the country.

"Keeping in view COVID-19, ministry of culture has decided to shut all ASI monuments, sites and museums till March 31...all the online permissions like filming, free entry, photography, cultural events issued for the above period shall also remain cancelled," the order stated.

There are 3,691 Centrally protected monuments and sites under the ASI.

The order came after a high-level meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 on Monday.