India confirms its first novel coronavirus case 

One person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Thursday in the southern Indian state of Kerala, the Indian health ministry said.

The patient is being kept in an isolation ward at a hospital.

"One positive case of novel coronavirus patient, of a student studying in Wuhan University, has been reported in Kerala," reads a statement issued by India's federal health ministry.

"The patient has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is in isolation in the hospital."

The ministry officials said the patient was stable and being closely monitored.