The Nodal officer also said that apart from around 1,000 beds, additional facilities can be prepared quickly.

The Indian armed forces have kept quarantine facilities on standby in four cities – Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Vizag and Gorakhpur – to accommodate around 1,000 people if required, said Brigadier Anupam Sharma, the nodal officer for coordinating efforts of the Defence Ministry on coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

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He also said that apart from around 1,000 beds, additional facilities can be prepared quickly. Currently, there are 58 people at the Indian Air Force’s Hindon facility, 44 at the Indian Navy’s facility, 484 people at the Army’s Jaisalmer facility and 82 people at its Manesar facility, who are in quarantine.

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“The Jaisalmer facility is on standby to accommodate 100 more people,” Brigadier Sharma said.

“An Army facility for around 500 more people in Jodhpur, a Navy facility in Vizag with capacity to keep approximately 200 people and an Air Force facility in Gorakhpur for approximately 150 people – these three facilities are currently on standby,” he said, adding the Indian armed forces can ramp up their capacity quickly if required.

According to the Union Health Ministry, the number of coronavirus positive cases in India rose to 223 on Friday.