Delhi govt declares six hospitals for 'dedicated COVID-19 treatment' amid rise in cases

Even as confirmed cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) rise among attendees of Nizamuddin Markaz gathering, the Delhi government on Tuesday has declared six hospitals dedicated for treating COVID-19 cases. The six hospitals are -  Lok Nayak Hospital, GB Pant Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital. This development occurred after the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that 1339 Tabligh Jamaat workers are being screened and isolated in some of the above-mentioned hospitals.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: 3400 Nizamuddin event attendees traced & isolated; cases at 1251

Delhi govt declares 6 hospitals as dedicated COVID-19 hospitals                                                                                                                                                         

COVID-19: MHA reveals '2137 Markaz attendees quarantined across India'; 1746 in Nizamuddin

What is the Nizamuddin COVID-19 scare?

On Monday, sources reported that a religious programme was organised at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters Markaz Nizamuddin mosque between 13-15 March which had over 300 foreign attendees from Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan apart from hundreds from several states in India. After attending the meeting, prior to the nationwide lockdown, all these attendees returned to several parts of the country, possibly spreading the COVID-19 virus. On Sunday, around 50-70 people, who were hiding in a mosque, were taken to LNJP hospital as they were all COVID-19 suspects – 24 have tested positive. The mosque has claimed that while they were letting small groups of attendees leave from the venue prior to the Janta Curfew, several were stuck in the area – which has now been entirely quarantined – owing to the nationwide lockdown.

Ministry of Home Affairs informed that 1746 individuals were staying in Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz as of March 21 - 216 foreigners, 1530 Indians. While 1339 Tabligh Jamaat workers are being screened and quarantined, the government has banned all their tourist visas for violating conditions. Apart from these individuals, MHA stated that 2137 persons have been identified in different states and have been quarantined.

ON TAPE: Markaz chief urges Muslims to defy lockdown, terms Coronavirus a 'conspiracy'

Currently, the Delhi Crime Branch has registered a case against Nizamuddin Markaz chief Maulana Saad and others for defying the lockdown. The attendees from the event are spread all over namely - Karnataka: 64 quarantined, Tamil Nadu: 981 of 1500 attendees traced - 45 tested positive, Telangana: 1300 attendees with 6 deaths and 15 positive, Andhra Pradesh: 626 of the 806 attendees traced (8 have tested positive), Andaman: 9 out of 10 positive cases attendees, UP 157 attendees of which 14 quarantined, Jammu & Kashmir has identified 6 attendees. All states are doing contact tracing and quarantining all attendees. Currently, India's total COVID-19 cases stand at 1251 with 32 deaths.

Omar Abdullah terms Nizamuddin event 'irresponsible', slams ‘communalism’ over it