india

Updated: Mar 18, 2020 16:33 IST

A 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for novel coronavirus in Leh, becoming the first case in the Indian Army.

The soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father who had already contracted the infection. His father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 27 and is in quarantine at the Ladakh Heart Foundation since February 29.

The soldier had taken leave from February 25 to March 1, said Army officials and joined duties on March 2. But he continued to help his family during his father’s quarantine period and even stayed in the vilage for some time, said officials.

Watch | Indian Army reports 1st Covid-19 case, soldier from Ladakh tests positive

His father tested positive for coronavirus disease Covid-19 on March 6. The soldier was quarantined the next day and tested positive on March 16, they said.

His sister, wife and two children are also quarantined in Sonam Nurboo Memorial (SNM) Hospital.

India has so far recorded 147 coronavirus positive cases - 122 of them are Indians and 25 foreigners. India has restricted flights from a number of countries - most of them being coronavirus hotspots.

Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the ministry said.

More than 11,500 people were infected with the novel coronavirus globally, bringing the total number of confirmed cases above 179,000, the World Health Organisation said in its latest coronavirus situation report on Tuesday.