With the number of coronavirus positive cases shooting to 31, Maharashtra has emerged as the worst-hit state in the country. Five new cases were detected in Pimpri-Chinchwad in Pune district, late on Saturday night, a health official said.

The move would enable the states to spend a larger chunk of funds from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to fight the pandemic.

So far, a total of 82 positive cases of Coronavirus have been traced in the country, according to the data provided by the Union health ministry. Among the 82, there are 17 foreign nationals and 65 Indians who have tested positive for coronavirus.  Five people have been cured so far, and two people have succumbed to it. A maximum of 19 positive cases have been reported from the state of Kerala including the three cured patients who had returned from China’s Hubei province.

“Global markets have undergone severe volatility, and we are monitoring the situation. It is no consolation to say that stock markets in India and elsewhere have suffered. Globally there are serious repercussions being felt. We are conscious of the developments. Together with the RBI, we are monitoring and making sure where necessary, we take steps,” Sitharaman said at a post-Cabinet press conference.

The equity selloff intensified after the World Health Organization (WHO), late Wednesday night, termed the the new coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic, and expressed deep concern over the “alarming levels of inaction”.

While the Union ministry maintained that there are two confirmed cases of the infection in Maharashtra, the state health officials put the number to seven.Rajasthan, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab have reported one case each, the ministry said, adding Kerala has till now reported 17 cases, including the three patients who were discharged last month following recovery.