With five more cases being confirmed on Friday, the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the State has risen to 19.
The new cases include a 21-year-old man from Pune, with a travel history to the U.S, two from Nagpur who were contacts of a previous positive case, and one person in Ahmednagar with a travel history to Dubai. In Mumbai, the wife of 64-year-old patient who was first admitted to Hinduja Hospital has also tested positive.
State health officials said they were they were aggressively tracing the contacts of all positive patients to curb the spread of infection.
As on Friday, nearly 1.60 lakh people had been screened at the three airports in the State. Of these, 818 people were from Maharashtra.
“In all, 532 people were admitted in various isolation wards as they had developed symptoms like fever, cough, and cold. Currently, 18 people are admitted in Pune, 35 in Mumbai, 18 in Nagpur, nine in Yavatmal, and three in Pimpri Chinchwad,” said the State official.
According to the additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani, 41 samples tested at the laboratory at Kasturba Hospital were negative. “The next run of the tests is on,” he said.
The lab in Kasturba Hospital is currently operating two shifts.
