6 new coronavirus cases in Kerala, India total climbs to 53

Reuters photo

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday (March 10) said that 6 more people from the state have tested positive for coronavirus, taking the number of people infected by the deadly virus in Kerala to 8. The total number of infected people in India has now risen to 53.

CM Vijayan also said that classes up to the seventh standard in the state will remain suspended till March 31. He, however, added that exams of Class 8, 9 & 10 will be conducted as per schedule. 

"Classes and exams till seventh standard will remain suspended till March 31. Exams of Class 8, 9 & 10 will be conducted as per schedule. All vacation, tuition classes, anganvadis, Madrasas should be closed till March 31," said the Kerala chief minister.

On Monday (March 9), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had confirmed that one person in Punjab and Karnataka each, while two people from Pune in Maharashtra had tested positive for the coronavirus.

A Bengaluru based software engineer, who returned home from the US recently, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first COVID-19 patient in Karnataka, said the state Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

In a related development, an Indian Air Force (IAF) military aircraft -  C-17 Globemaster - carrying the first batch of 58 Indian pilgrims being brought back from coronavirus-hit Iran landed at Ghaziabad's Hindon Air Force station on Tuesday.

The plane with 14 Air Force officials and 4 medical staff was being led by Wing Commander Karan Kapoor and it landed in Tehran at 2 am IST.  This is the second time C17 is being sent to evacuate Indians this year. In February, India had sent C17 to evacuate Indians from Wuhan, China.