Health Ministry says 1,445 out of total 4,067 COVID-19 cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat

As many as 1,445 cases out of a total of 4,067 COVID-19 cases in India are linked to Tablighi Jamaat congregation that was held earlier in March, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Joint Secretary Lav Aggarwal said on Monday.

In the last 24 hours, 693 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the country, taking the tally to 4,067. Of these, 1,445 positive cases are related to Tablighi Jamaat, Aggarwal said in a press briefing. He added that 76 per cent positive cases are males while 24 per cent are females.

"In 47 per cent cases, the victims are less than 40 years old, and in 34 per cent cases the patients are 40-60 years old. In 19 per cent of cases, the patients are 60 years or above," the Health Ministry said.

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Aggarwal said that out of all 109 COVID-19 deaths in India, 30 deaths were reported on Sunday. Of these, 73 per cent deaths are related to males and 27 per cent to females, he said. Aggarwal said that there is a higher risk associated if the elderly people test positive for COVID-19.

• 60 years or above - 63 percent cases
• 40 to 60 years - 30 per cent cases
• Below 40 years - 7 per cent cases

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25,000 Tablighi Jamaat workers quarantined

Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed that the government has so far quarantined over 25,000 Tablighi Jamaat workers and their contacts. Five Haryana villages where they visited have also been sealed. Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz emerged as a coronavirus hotspot following a massive religious congregation attended by Indian and foreign nationals, many of whom contracted the virus.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers was held earlier on Monday, in which further discussion took place on the plan of action regarding COVID-19 challenges. The Health Ministry has released a detailed guideline focused on signs, symptoms and segregating cases.

"Rs 1,100 crore has already been released from the National Health Mission Funds for the States. Also, an additional amount of Rs 3,000 crore has been released today," he said.

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