MUMBAI: Samples of 12 of the total 17 persons who were admitted in hospitals in Maharashtra for suspected novel Coronavirus infection have tested negative, following which they have been discharged, a Health department official said on Sunday night.
He said the 17 persons were admitted in hospitals in Mumbai, Pune and Nanded in the recent past.
"The 12 patients have been released from Mumbai, Pune and Nanded-based hospitals after their samples tested negative for Coronavirus.
The remaining five patients--three in Pune and two in Mumbai--will be discharged if their swab samples tested negative," he said.
The official further said they have been taking regular follow-up on the health of 72 persons who had returned from China.
"It is a part of the standard laid down procedure in such scenario," he said.
He said a total of 6,432 people have been screened at the Mumbai international airport so far after their arrival from China.
So far, no confirmed case of coronavirus infection has been found in the state.
The outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus was first reported in Hubei province of China and has since spread to several countries, including two positive cases in India, both in the southern state of Kerala.