Coronavirus: 26 Indian Navy Sailors Test 'Positive'; Tally in India Rises to 14,378

New Delhi, April 18, 2020:

In a chilling development, at least 26 Indian Navy sailors have tested positive for the new coronavirus in Mumbai, the epicentre of the virus in India.

According to a report carried in The Times of India the sailors, who are from the main shore-based logistics depot INS Angre of the Western Naval Command have been quarantined at the INHS Asvini Mumbai naval hospital. A massive contact tracing operation is said to be underway to pinpoint more cases of the virus within the vessel.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus Update: Cases Rise to 13,387 in India; Death Toll 437

As the new coronavirus continues its deadly sweep across the world, the number of cases reported in India now stands at 14,378. As many as 480 people have succumbed to death. At present, there are 11,906 active coronavirus patients in the country and at least 1,991 people have been cured/discharged/migrated.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-affected state with a total of 3,323 cases. While 331 patients have recovered, 201 deaths have been reported. The state accounts for 41% of all deaths in India.

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Delhi is the second worst-affected state with 1,640 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu with 1,323 cases, Rajasthan with 1,270 cases and Madhya Pradesh with 1,164 infections.

International Tally:

According to worldometers.info 2,250,945 cases have been reported since the incident came to light.

The United States of America is the worst-hit country with 710,021 cases. In the country, 37,158 people have died from coronavirus-related complications. Spain has reported 190,839 cases, the second highest, and 20,002 deaths.

Meanwhile, the US President Donald J Trump has announced that his administration is looking into reports that the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 150,000 people globally, "escaped" from a virology lab in China's Wuhan, the epidentre.

Addressing reporters at the While House, Trump said, "We're looking at it, a lot of people are looking at it. It seems to make sense."

In the UK, 847 fresh deaths were reported yesterday due to the COVID-19, taking the death toll in the country to 14,576.

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