New Delhi, March 9: The total number of positive cases in India on Monday stood at 43 after four people, including a three-year-old child in Kerala tested positive for the novel coronavirus. According to a latest update by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, as of Monday, there are 43 total cases of COVID-19 in the country out of which 40 are active cases. The Ministry further informed that of the 43 cases, three patients in Kerala, who tested positive, have now been discharged. No deaths have been reported from anywhere in the country.

In China, the death toll due to coronavirus reached 3,119 on Monday, with a total of 80,735 confirmed cases. In South Asia, India has reported 43 coronavirus cases, Pakistan seven, Maldives two, and one each in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. However, there were no deaths anywhere in the region.

First Case of COVID-19 in Jammu

In Jammu and Kashmir, a 63-year-old woman tested positive for coronavirus, making her the first confirmed case there. Reports inform that the woman has a travel history to COVID-hit nation Iran. Authorities sealed a village in Leh district of Ladakh region after a pilgrim who had visited Iran died in the hospital of suspected coronavirus infection. The sample of the deceased person has been sent for test and the results are still awaited. Coronavirus Live Map: How to Track The Spread of COVID-19 Across The Globe With This Dashboard.

Kerala Reports Nine COVID-19 Cases Since January 2020

As the coronavirus cases surged in Kerala, the authorities have put the state on high alert as they suspect a few more cases might turn positive. So far, nine people have been tested positive in the state.

On January 30, a medical student from Thrissur studying in China's Wuhan - the epicentre of the outbreak - became the first coronavirus positive patient in India and soon two of her classmates also turned positive. The three infected patients recovered and were later discharged. On March 9, five positive COVID-19 cases were reported from Kerala's Pathanamthitta district. The infected patients have been isolated in the state-run hospital.

In the wake of the rising number of positive cases in the southern state, an all-around alert has been sounded in Kerala. The state government has warned  that those who come from countries where coronavirus is raging and fail to report to health authorities will be prosecuted.

COVID-19 Reaches 8 New Countries/ Territories/Areas

According to an official bulletin by WHO, eight new countries/territories/areas (Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Faroe Islands, French Guiana, Maldives, Malta, Martinique, and Republic of Moldova) have reported cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. Over 100 countries have now reported laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID19.

An official release by WHO states that the total number of cases globally has reached to 1,05 586, with 3656 new cases on March 9. In China, 3100 deaths have been reported with a total of 80, 859 confirmed cases. Outside China, 24, 727 confirmed cases have been reported from 101 countries along with 484 deaths.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2020 01:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).