Noida: Europe-returned man tests positive for COVID-19, total 5 cases; over 1,600 under surveillance

One more person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Noida with authorities locking down his residential society for 48 hours to carry out sanitation work, as the number of identified COVID-19 cases reached five here, district officials said on Saturday.

The person, who returned from Europe three days ago, stays in Sector 74's Supertech Capetown, which has 6,000 flats, they said.

The society has been lockdown from 10 am on Saturday till 7 am on Monday for sanitisation, the officials said.

"During this period nobody would be allowed to get in or go out of the society except only in very essential cases. Everybody is requested to stay indoors," District Magistrate B N Singh stated in an order.

Earlier, three people from sectors 100, 78 and 41 and one from Delhi have been tested positive for coronavirus in Noida, according to officials.

According to official figures, 1,624 people were under surveillance in Gautam Buddh Nagar for coronavirus as on Saturday, while samples of 289 have been taken.

Of the 289 samples, five have tested positive, 189 negative while results of 96 were awaited, it said.

Thirty-nine people have been kept in isolation. Of them, 11 are in hospitals and 28 at the Dr Ambedkar Hostel in Gautam Buddh University, the officials said.

Government officials in the district have appealed to the people to not panic and take all precautions to prevent the virus from spreading.

People can use helpline numbers – 807662361, 6396776904 (both by health department) and 0120 – 2569901 (by administration) round the clock to get their queries related to COVID-19 answered, they added.

Uttar Pradesh has recorded 24 coronavirus cases, including one foreigner, while 258 such cases have been reported across India till Saturday, according to the Union Health Ministry.