New Delhi, March 4 (IANS): Seventeen Indians abroad have been infected with coronavirus, Parliament was told on Wednesday.

Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan said 16 cases were reported from Japan on the cruise ship and one from the UAE.

He further said that the government evacuated a total of 766 persons - 723 Indian nationals and 43 foreigners - from China, while 119 Indians have been brought back to India from the cruise ship in Japan.

"Air India has raised a bill of Rs 5.98 crore for operating two special flights to China and an Indian Air Force flight carrying relief material to China also carried Indian citizens from Wuhan, China on its return journey," he said.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan earlier said 28 positive cases of coronavirus have been detected so far in India and announced that all international flights and passengers will now have to undergo screening, and not just the 12 countries listed earlier.

Giving a breakup of those who tested positive for the virus, the minister said out of the total 28 COVID-19 cases in India, one person was from Delhi, six of his relatives in Agra, 16 Italians and their Indian driver, one in Telangana and the three earlier cases in Kerala.