One positive case of coronavirus has been reported in Punjab so far | Photo Credit: PTI

Amritsar: At least seven persons, suspected of having the Novel Coronavirus, have gone missing in Punjab's Ludhiana. As per a list released by the Central government, the seven individuals have recently returned from abroad and are currently untraceable.

Reportedly, medical officials in Punjab had recently received a list of over 450 individuals who recently returned to India. The officials have been tracking down these individuals on the list in order to identify possible infections.

However, the officials have failed to find seven people on the list and reported the matter to higher authorities. After days of search operation for the individuals, Punjab Police have marked them as missing.

As per reports, Punjab Police even went to the homes of these seven people only to find them locked.

Earlier in the day, the movement of people and commodities from Pakistan at the joint check post (JCP) at Attari near Amritsar in Punjab was suspended indefinitely as a precautionary measure against coronavirus.

Also, commodities arriving from Afghanistan via Pakistan would also not be allowed to enter India through this Attari-Wagha JCP, around 30 km from Amritsar.

Punjab's first case

Earlier on March 9, the Punjab government reported its first positive case of coronavirus. The patient has travel history to Italy and only recently returned to India.

While confirming the case, Punjab Principal Secretary (Health) Anurag Aggarwal said, "The man who returned to Amritsar by an Air India flight from Milan in Italy has tested positive for coronavirus. He had landed at Amritsar International Airport via Delhi on March 4 along with his two other family members."

He went on to add that the patient is a resident of Hoshiarpur and was tracked at the Amritsar airport before getting admitted to a government hospital in Amritsar.

After he was found coronavirus positive, his samples were sent to National Institue of Virology, Pune, which confirmed that the man is suffering from coronavirus affliction. The patient's condition is stable and is currently under quarantine.