Coronavirus update: 15 Italian tourists in India test positive for COVID-19

Fifteen Italian tourists in India have been tested positive for coronavirus. With these new cases, the total number of cases confirmed in India has gone up to 18.

On Tuesday night, 21 Italian nationals had been brought down from a hotel to ITBP's quarantine facility in South Delhi for preventive isolation. Samples were taken from them by the authorities for testing. 

The development comes a day after an Italian tourist, in Jaipur was tested positive for coronavirus and his wife showed initial symptoms of the virus. The Italian couple was part of a tourist group touring Rajasthan. Later, the wife was also tested positive for coronavirus at Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital. The couple was part of a group of 23 Italian Nationals who were touring Rajasthan.

The Rajasthan health authorities had feared that the couple would have infected more people as they had visited prominent tourist places in the state. Hence, the other 21 members of the tourist group were sent to Delhi to be quarantined and tested.

This morning, 15 of the 21 Italian tourists have now been confirmed positive for coronavirus.

The first three cases of coronavirus cases in India were detected in Kerala, all three were treated and discharged from the hospitals a few days later. On Monday, two new cases of coronavirus were detected in India, one in Delhi and the other in Telangana.

Authorities have been trying to trace the movement and the people encountered by these patients. So far, two schools in Noida have been closed as a few of their students had attended the birthday party of the son of the Delhi patient. The family of the Delhi patient has been quarantined at Safdarganj Hospital in Delhi.

Till now, 79 people have died in Italy due to COVID19. So far, it is the worst-hit country in Europe.

The virus which originated in Wuhan, China has claimed 2,981 lives so far in Mainland China.

Also Read: Coronavirus Outbreak Live Updates: Covid-19 cases in India rise to 6; China death toll touches 2,981

Also Read: Coronavirus in Noida: What Delhi-NCR residents should know