(TAN): A group of Italian tourists were put in quarantine in India, with 15 of them testing positive for the coronavirus, or Covid-19, reports said.
Their Indian driver also tested positive for the disease, as per reports.
According to reports, after two of the 23 visitors, a 69-year-old man and his wife, were found infected in the western state of Rajasthan, the other 21 were isolated at a special facility in New Delhi. Their samples were reportedly sent to National Institute of Immunology in Pune.
“Out of the 21 tourists, 15 have been tested positive for coronavirus. We are awaiting test results of the others,” an anonymous person was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying.
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India’s Health Minister Harsh Vardhan reportedly said they were observing extra measures against the spread of the virus.
“We will now screen all international passengers. We will not limit our screenings to 12 countries as we did earlier,” Vardhan was quoted by Reuters as saying.
Authorities have stepped up screenings at airport and border crossings, and advising people to avoid crowded areas, reports said.
While visitors from China were prohibited from entering India last month, those from countries including Italy, South Korea, Japan and Iran, except diplomats and officials from international organisations, were barred earlier this week, as per reports.
Meanwhile, the number of cases in India has reportedly shot up to 28, including six Agra-based relatives of a Delhi resident who was tested positive, and a Bengaluru-based man who returned from Dubai, reports said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to urge people to take precautions against the virus.
“There is no need to panic. We need to work together, take small yet important measures to ensure self-protection,” he tweeted.
“Had an extensive review regarding preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Different ministries & states are working together, from screening people arriving in India to providing prompt medical attention,” he added.
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