Bengaluru, March 9 (IANS): Karnataka on Monday registered the first positive coronavirus case even as 700 people are under home quarantine, an official said on Monday.
"One resident of Bengaluru who travelled from the US to India has been found to be positive," the state Health Department's Information Education and Communication (IEC) special officer Suresh Shastri told IANS.
According to sources, the first positive case in the state is a fifth standard student from a private school.
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Citing a private school's internal mail, sources also said that the student's father too showed symptoms for the virus along with his wife, who are currently being monitored at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases.
As on Monday, the number of persons admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases for selected isolated observation has risen to 12.
"Till date, 432 samples of symptomatic persons have been sent for testing, of which 364 have returned negative. Results of the remaining 68 samples are awaited," said an official statement issued by the Health Department.
Across the state, 91,911 passengers have been thermal-screened for the virus till now at the Kempegowda International Airport in the city and the Mangaluru International Airport. Another 5,323 passengers were also checked for the virus at Karwar and Mangaluru seaports.
On Saturday, eight people completed the mandatory 28-day observation period while a total of 266 people have undergone the same.
"A circular has been issued for the closure of pre-KG, LKG and UKG schools of BBMP and Bengaluru urban districts until further orders," the health department statement said.
Earlier, students of Baldwin School, who had exams, were sent back home in the light of reinforced coronavirus precautionary measures.
In another incident, a passenger from Dubai arrived in Mangaluru on Sunday night and was sent to an isolation ward at the Wenlock Hospital.
However, he went against the medical advice and slipped out of the hospital.
"The police has been informed and a surveillance team is stationed at his home. He will be brought back and admitted to the hospital," said an official.
On Monday, the Karnataka government held inter-department coordination meeting involving the key bodies concerned.