At least 215 people came into contact with a group of Italian tourists in India, some of whom have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a Rajasthan government official said on Thursday.
According to Govind Pareek, the Joint Director of Public Relations, officials have identified the people the tourists came into contact with while in the region, including the cities of Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur and Jaipur.
Ninety-three samples have been tested so far. Of these, 60 tested negative for the novel coronavirus. The Rajasthan government is in the process of testing the remaining 122 suspected cases across the state.
Hotel rooms where the Italians stayed have been closed for sanitation, which is still underway, Pareek added.
India's Health Minister Harsh Vardhan announced on Wednesday that 16 of the 22 Italians on the trip have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The group landed in New Delhi on February 21 and traveled to Rajasthan by bus.
Two of the Italian citizens with the virus are being treated in Rajasthan and the remaining 14 are receiving treatment in the city of Gurugram just outside New Delhi.
The group’s driver, who is an Indian citizen, also tested positive.