Coronavirus / 2 people in Pune test +ve for coronavirus, 8 cases reported in India in 24 hours

Pune: Two people in Pune, who came back from Dubai in the UAE, tested positive for the new coronavirus infection on Monday, making them Maharashtra’s first known cases of the disease, officials said.

With the two patients in Pune, the total number of confirmed cases in India has risen to 46 so far.

Pune divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said both the patients have been quarantined in the city’s Naidu Hospital.

Pune Municipal Corporation’s chief health officer Dr Ramchandra Hankare said they are currently stable.

The patients are husband and wife and they returned to Pune on March 1 but only one of them developed symptoms and were rushed to the hospital on March 6.

Their samples were first tested at the hospital and then sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in the city.

NIV Pune confirmed on Monday they have tested positive for coronavirus.

“A close watch is been kept on both of them and authorities urged that there is no need to panic as of yet,” Mhaisekar said.

The district administration has advised people to avoid gathering on occasion of festivals. Mhaisekar and district collector Naval Kishore Ram have urged citizens to celebrate Holi with their families only.