The number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 28, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Wednesday. Twenty-two of these cases were confirmed today making it the biggest single-day spike since the outbreak was first reported.
These cases include 16 Italian tourists who had travelled with their countryman, who initially tested positive. The Indian driver of the tourists has also tested positive.
Addressing the media about the recent rise in the COVID-19 cases in India, the minister said, "From now on, all flights and passengers will be part of universal screening, not just those to the 12 countries which we had listed earlier."
Six positive cases were reported in Agra. They are all relatives of the Delhi-based man who tested positive earlier and caught the infection from him.
Meanwhile, tech giant Intel said one of its employees in Bengaluru had "potentially been exposed" to the coronavirus and is currently under quarantine.
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 Tuesday.
Last month, three cases were recorded in Kerala. All three patients have now recovered and were discharged from hospital.
The Union Health Minister has requested all hospitals in Delhi to develop good quality isolation wards, in order to stay prepared for more coronavirus cases.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda are among leaders who have said they will not celebrate Holi or hold any Holi Milan function in view of the novel Coronavirus outbreak.
Global deaths due to the 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.
(With PTI, ANI, ENS inputs)