Bengaluru: Five more people in Karnataka have tested positive for novel coronavirus (Covid-19), marking one of the biggest rise for the state on a single day and taking the state's total number of confirmed cases to 20.

The new cases have travel history to countries such as Scotland, Netherlands and Dubai.

One 53-year old woman, the house help of a person who had earlier tested positive, has also tested positive to have contracted the virus.

Out of the five, three people are from Bengaluru and one each from Chikkaballapur and Mysuru, adding to fears that the virus is spreading to other parts of the state.

“Till date, twenty Covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state which includes one death," the health department said in a statement.

The latest developments come amid a growing number of people testing positive for the virus in the state and the country.

The state government has increased its coordination efforts and 10 IAS (Indian Administrative Service) will now be part to coordinate containment activities.

Jawaid Akthar, Additional Chief Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department​​​​​​ said that around 500 teams, comprising one beat constable or home guard and one health worker, have been formed in the Bengaluru corporation area to contact all those who have travelled to India from abroad.

All foreign returned people have been mandated to do compulsory home quarantine, according to the health department. According to the government estimates, there are over 30,000 foreign returned passengers who have to follow strict home quarantine.

"Hand stamping will be done and notice served," said one official, adding that they will be tracked also. "Any foreign returned person violating Home Quarantine will be liable for criminal case under Indian Penal Code and Epidemic Act," the official added.

A total of 3,175 people are in home quarantine while 146 are under isolation in various medical facilities. The state's health department said that 1,377 people in Karnataka have been tested and 996 of them have tested negative.

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