Coronavirus: Latest updates on coronavirus crisis around the world

Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis in India and other parts of the world on Wednesday. 3:35 p.m.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says India intends to set up a laboratory in Iran so that Indians there can be tested for possible exposure to coronavirus before being brought back. 3:34 p.m.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) says seventeen Indians have been infected with coronavirus abroad. 3:31p.m.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar says the government is proactively engaged in dealing with coronavirus, and the PM is monitoring the situation every day. Javadekar says over 6 lakh people have been screened at 21 airports for coronavirus.

2:53 p.m. A report by IDFC Mutual Fund says the RBI needs to find room for more rate cuts to deal with the impact of coronavirus on the economy.

2:38 p.m. Chinese officials say a total of 75 inbound passengers in China have tested positive for coronavirus out of the 6,700 travelers who showed possible symptoms of the disease.

2: 36 p.m. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal says efforts are on to check and screen 88 people who came in contact with the Delhi man who tested positive for coronavirus.

Kejriwal says a task force headed by him has been formed to tackle the situation emerging from the coronavirus infection and there is no need to panic. 1:41 p.m.

Gujarat Health Department says none of the 1,582 people kept under observation after returning from coronavirus-hit countries has so far been found to be infected by the potentially deadly virus. 1:34 p.m.

Home Minister Amit Shah says the country is well prepared to contain the spread of coronavirus. Shah says he will not participate in 'Holi Milan' function in the wake of the reports of the outbreak of the virus in different places.

1:26 p.m. Rajasthan government directs officials to take public health measures in the places visited by the group of Italian tourists who have tested positive for coronavirus.

12.40 p.m. Health Minister Harsh Vardhan says there are a total of 28 coronavirus cases in India; 1 in Delhi, 6 in Agra, 16 Italian tourists and their Indian driver, 1 in Telangana and 3 in Kerala. Vardhan says he met with Delhi's health minister, corporation officials and urged them to augment facilities of isolation wards in hospitals: Health Min on COVID-19.

The minister says the 6 novel coronavirus cases in Agra are relatives of Delhi-based man who tested positive earlier. Vardhan says all international passengers are to be screened for novel Coronavirus symptoms.

12.36 p.m The Telangana government says it has decided to undertake various measures, including a campaign to promote cleanliness in public transport, to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus. 12.28 p.m.

Odisha government issues dos and don'ts asking people to avoid hugging, shaking hands while greeting and keeping their workplace clean to ward off novel coronavirus infection 12.25 pm. Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's example, BJP president J P Nadda said he will not celebrate Holi or hold any Holi Milan function given the coronavirus outbreak.

11.50 a.m. Tech giant Intel says one of its employees in Bengaluru "potentially been exposed" to coronavirus and is currently under quarantine.

11.40 a.m. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he has decided not to participate in any 'Holi Milan' program as experts have advised that mass gatherings be reduced to avoid the spread of the disease. 11.01 a.m. Amazon confirms that an employee who works in the internet giant's home city of Seattle in the United States has been quarantined after testing positive for the novel coronavirus. 10.00 a.m.

Karnataka Health Minister B Srirumulu appeals to people not to pay heed to rumors about novel coronavirus. 9.30 a.m.

World Bank unveils USD 12 billion aid package to provide fast-track funds to help countries combat the novel coronavirus outbreak. 9.12 a.m.

Coronavirus infections show signs of receding in China with 38 new fatalities, taking a total number of deaths to 2,981, say, Chinese officials. 7.40 a.m.

Singapore minister warns of spikes in novel coronavirus cases in his country with two new cases of the fast-spreading disease.