The number of positive cases in India rose to 271 Saturday, from 236 a day earlier.

With 63 cases reported on Friday itself, the government decided to change testing criteria for COVID-19 to include all pneumonia cases, regardless of travel or contact history.

Earlier, testing was limited to symptomatic patients with travel or contact history, and symptomatic health workers with contact history.

While 23 have recovered so far, four have died.

Globally, Italy has reported 4,032 deaths so far, China has reported 3,139 deaths, Iran 1,433 and Spain 1,093.

Wuhan in China reported no new cases even on Friday, sparking a glimmer of hope.

In an attempt to curb the spread of the virus, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for a ‘Janata curfew’ on March 22 (Sunday) asking people to not step out of homes between 7 am and 9 pm.

In an extraordinary decision, Indian Railways announced Friday that it would stop its services across the country from 7 am to 9 pm on Sunday during the Janata Curfew.