Goa, March 18: Just after Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane informed that a person in the state was tested coronavirus positive, he clarified that the news was wrong. According to an ANI tweet, the Minister said that a call was made to the health authorities by impersonating testing lab which notified of a positive COVID19 case in the state. He said, "The information was received by Dr Edwin of Goa Medical College, but it's a piece of hoax news and people should not be doing it."

Rane further assured people not to panic as the final report hasn't come yet."All future info will be given only by Dr Utkarsh (state epidemiologist) as per protocol. We're also trying to locate the number by which Dr Edwin received the call," the Minister said. Coronavirus Outbreak in India: Total Number of COVID-19 Positive Cases Rises to 147.

Earlier in the day, news came that a Norwegian man on Wednesday tested positive for novel coronavirus infection in Goa, The man had travelled to Delhi, Agra, Assam and Meghalaya after leaving Norway on 6 February.  "The man came to Goa on 20 February. He was having fever since 10 March and was isolated as a suspect in hospital in Panaji," the minister told PTI.

Check ANI tweet:

Fearing lockdown, citizens in the state have been on a panic mode since the last few days. According to a Times of India report, supermarket and grocery stores are left with almost empty shelves as people resort to bulk buying. The total number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 147 as on Wednesday at 9 am. According to an ANI tweet, the numbers shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare comprised of 122 Indian nationals and 25 foreign nationals. Maharashtra is the worst affected state in India with a total of 42 cases.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 18, 2020 01:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).