Two people tested positive for the Coronavirus or Covid-19 in city, taking the number of total afflicted in Maharashtra to 10, including 8 in Pune, Chief Minister said on March 11.

The Chief Minister and his deputy informed the media late in the evening that the ongoing Budget session of the state Legislature is likely to be curtailed and end on March 14. A final decision on this would be taken on March 12, they informed. He assured that though 10 patients have tested positive, they are not 'serious' and they are undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

Health officials have described the two found affected in Mumbai and the others in Pune as close to some of the afflicted, who had returned from a Dubai trip along with a 40-member tour. The two patients in Mumbai are currently undergoing treatment in an isolated ward in Kasturba Hospital in south Mumbai, after their test reports received today confirmed positive, an official of Communicable Diseases Control Programme said. Both the Chief Minister and the deputy said that the state government is fully geared to tackle any crisis arising out of the Coronavirus and appealed the people not to panic.

“Those who have travelled and come from abroad are advised to stay indoors at home for 14 days. All others should avoid crowding in public places and exercise all other precautions as prescribed by the Health authorities,” the Chief Minister said. To a question, he said there appears to be no immediate need to shut down schools and colleges in the state and the situation would be monitored before taking the final decision.

Health Minister also addressed the media and said that sufficient number of beds in government and private hospitals – numbering around 650 in Mumbai – have been readied to tackle any emergency. “A central team of experts will visit the state soon and train our medical staff on handling Covid-19 patients. We have sufficient number of masks, medicines, beds and isolation wards, medical and para-medical staff to handle the situation,” he added. While the state government has appealed to the people not to panic, as many as 1,38,968 passengers have been screened till Wednesday (March 11) at the three international airports in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.