Mumbai, March 16: Amid the rising coronavirus scare in Maharashtra, staff of a government hospital in Panvel near Mumbai fled after knowing that patients with travel history to coronavirus-hit countries were admitted in the hospital. According to a tweet by Times Now, at least 11 people ran away from the hospital, majority of them being employees of the hospital who were on duty to look after COVID-hit patients. As soon as the news surfaced,  Raigad District Magistrate has ordered a probe in the matter.

On Sunday, four suspects of coronavirus fled from a government hospital in Nagpur and were traced later by the police. All of them were brought back to the hospital hours later. A similar incident was reported from Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district where as many as three suspected coronavirus patients who had been quarantined disappeared from a government hospital. Reports inform that the two women and a man were admitted to isolation ward of the District Hospital in Ahmednagar and vanished without informing anyone.  Coronavirus in Navi Mumbai: Employee in Mindspace Airoli, Another Person in Vashi Test Positive For COVID-19.

Here's the tweet:

In Maharashtra, a total of 32 patients have tested positive for coronavirus. The number of coronavirus positive cases are on a rise in Maharashtra, making the state as the the worst-hit by the global pandemic. In the wake of the COVID-19 threat, Maharashtra has gone into a shutdown mode after the state government  ordered the closure of all schools, colleges, malls, swimming pools, gymns, public places, cancellation of all public events, religious processions, etc. till March 31 as a precaution. Coronavirus Live Map: How to Track The Spread of COVID-19 Across The Globe.

The total number of coronavirus cases has jumped to 110 in the country, with Maharashtra being the worst-hit with 32 cases followed by Kerala with 22.  With a staggering 16 cases - 8 in Pune city and 8 in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune district has earned the tag as the Coronavirus 'hotbed' in India.

The Mumbai Police has clamped prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons in the city till March 31. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday and discussed the situation arising out of the coronavirus in the state.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Sunday stated that since Saturday, five new cases were detected in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune district late, and one new case detected in Aurangabad and Pune each on Sunday. Tope announced that testing and treatment facilities available in Mumbai and Pune for coronavirus will be enhanced over the next 15-20 days.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 16, 2020 09:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).