Coronavirus outbreak: India on high alert as sixth case confirmed

Two private schools in Noida were shut on Tuesday for next few days after father of one of their students tested positive for Coronavirus, while several people, including his family members, were kept in isolation as authorities stepped up prevention efforts including suspending existing regular and e- visas to nationals of four other affected countries.

Officials said the sample of an Italian tourist in Jaipur which was sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune was found to be positive after the first two tests gave contradictory results.

With this, six cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country so far. Three of the patients have recovered.

The 69-year-old Italian’s wife also tested positive for the virus on Tuesday but her samples are being sent to Pune for another test. The couple has been kept in isolation at the Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Hospital.

Sources said the patient from Mayur Vihar in Delhi, who had travelled to Italy recently and tested positive on Monday, was shifted to a quarantine ward at Safdarjung Hospital on Sunday night.

One of the schools in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi, where the Delhi man’s son is a primary class student, said it will remain shut from March 4 to March 6, while the other said it will be closed till Saturday. The board exams are not affected, the messages sent by the schools to the parents made clear.

It came to light that the man had thrown a birthday party last week for the child, triggering fears that those who attended it including some students and his relatives might be at risk.

Samples from six people from Noida, including three children, have been taken to check if anyone has been infected, Noida’s Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava said.