First case of Coronavirus found in India after patient diagnosed in Kerala

India has revealed a patient in the southern state of Kerala had tested positive for coronavirus, the first case in the country.

The patient was a student of Wuhan University in China and is in a stable condition in isolation at a hospital, according to a statement by the Indian Government.

A senior Indian government official said bringing Indian nationals from Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, was not the best option due to the risk of infection.

However, amid increased pressure from the citizens and their parents, an aircraft was kept on standby to bring them home.

Earlier this week, India readied a state-carrier airplane to travel to Wuhan, but is waiting to be given the go-ahead by Chinese authorities as they attempted to organise the evacuation process.

Speaking on the situation, the government official said: "Only those nationals who don't have the virus will be airlifted, they will be brought into a quarantine facility outside Delhi.”