Bengaluru: A popular website has reported that as many as 17 members of a big family at Islampur, Sangli district of Maharashtra have tested positive for coronavirus. 

The infection gradually spread to all the members from March 23 to March 27, as per reports. Initially, five of them were infected after they returned from Mecca. 

Reports add that 20 members of the same family (extended) were put on compulsory quarantine by district health authorities. When their samples were sent for tests, 12 more tested positive.

With 17 cases emerging in the same family, Islampur is currently under strict monitoring, the report adds. 

As quoted by Times of India, Sangli district civil surgeon Sanjay Salunkhe said “We have contained the area. The medical teams are surveying the place, looking for the patients showing any symptom. As a precautionary measure, residents of around 500 homes have already been told to adhere to strict home-quarantine rules.”

The report adds that Maharashtra has currently 133 active cases of Covid-19. 4 people have so far in the succumbed to the potentially deadly virus in the state.

As regards the country, the number of positive cases stands at 873 while the deaths stand at 20. 

Globally, the number of positive cases stands at 597, 304 while the number of deaths stands at 27, 364. 

India is presently observing the fourth day of the lockdown. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a 21-day lockdown till April 14. 

He has urged the people to stay indoors and step out only if necessary. 

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman too has announced a slew of measures to help the poor, migrant workers and the labourers. 

Additionally, Shaktikanta Das, the RBI Governor announced that the RBI has allowed a 3-month moratorium on EMIs across loans. The RBI has also revised repo rates and reverse repo rates.