Mumbai, Feb 17 (PTI) As many as 60 people have tested negative for the new Coronavirus (Covid-19) so far in Maharashtra out of 64 suspected cases of the viral infection, a state health official said on Monday.

Passengers arriving at the Mumbai International Airport are being screened as a preventive measure by state health officials after the outbreak of the Coronavirus in China in December-end.

Out of the 60 who have tested negative, we have discharged 59 so far. The remaining five people have been admitted to state-run hospitals in Mumbai and Sangli for further observation, he said.

Swab samples sent to Pune based NIV have tested negative so far, the official said.

Test reports of four patients are awaited, he said.

"So far, no person has been found to be infected by the Coronavirus in Maharashtra, he said.

Health officials have screened 38,131 passengers as a precautionary measure at the airport since January 18, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)