NEW DELHI: Close to 6300 Indian nationals abroad have tested positive for the novel coronavirus , posing a serious logistical challenge to the government as and when it decides to evacuate Indians stranded overseas. The number has almost doubled in the past 8-9 days as it stood at 3,336 on April 16.The number of deaths of Indian nationals caused by Covid-19 abroad has also shot up to 40 from 25 during this period, official sources told ToI. The infections are spread over 50 countries Singapore and Gulf countries together account for more than 50 per cent of the infections. Singapore, in fact, has now taken over from Kuwait as the country where the highest number of Indians - more than a thousand - are infected.Official sources here said almost 90 per cent of Indians infected in Singapore were workers living in dormitories for foreign workers. They said the spread within the dormitories was expected.The Singapore government is said to be providing all medical and other assistance to the workers. Indian high commissioner Jawed Ashraf had earlier this month visited one of the dormitories where thousands of Indian workers live.Well over 2000 Indians have also been infected in Gulf countries like Kuwait, Bahrain , Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE. Hundreds of Indians are also infected in Iran.The jump in number of those infected - from 3336 to 6300 - in a little over a week is significant. The foreign ministry had first said in Parliament on March 18 that 276 Indians had contracted Covid-19 overseas. However, 255 of those were only in Iran, one of the worst hit countries. It took a month for the number to increase to 3336, as the government confirmed on April 16. After that though, it has taken the number just 9 days to shoot up to almost 6300.While the Indian missions remain in touch with local authorities to ensure proper treatment for Indian Covid-19 patients, it remains open to speculation whether or not they can return to India anytime soon. The government has so far avoided bringing back from abroad Indian nationals who tested positive for Covid-19. It has said that this is not because India lacks quarantine facilities but because of the extremely infectious nature of the disease and the risk involved in their travelling.The government, in fact, stopped operating evacuation flights altogether after the lockdown, asking indian citizens in advisories across the world - from southeast Asia to Europe - to remain where they were because of the lockdown in India.