Goa would be in Covid safe zone if 46 Nizamuddin Markaz cases turn out negative: CM Sawant

Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant on Thursday said that the state is in a safe zone in light of the surging Coronavirus cases in the country, provided the report of Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation attendees turns out to be negative. Speaking to news agency ANI, Sawant said, "We are in safe zone provided the 46 cases that had come from Nizamuddin are negative."

Earlier on Thursday, the Chief Minister had said that the government was yet to ascertain whether they had attended last month's religious congregation at Delhi's Nizamuddin area, which has emerged as one of the coronavirus hotspots of the country. "The state machinery has identified 46 members of Tablighi Jamaat, who had travelled to Delhi last month," he said.

'Tablighi Jamaat has damaged the country'

The Chief Minister said that none of these individuals are originally from Goa, but belong to different states. "These people had travelled to Delhi before March 15," he said. The Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi emerged as a hotspot for COVID-19 after many positive cases from across India were linked to the gathering, including deaths in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana.

On Wednesday, Sawant had said, "The Tablighi Jamaat has damaged the country, according to the media reports which I have seen. They have put the country in trouble by the manner in which they allowed COVID-19 to spread."

As many as 400 coronavirus patients have been found whose epidemiological linkage can be traced to the Tablighi Jamaat cluster at Nizamuddin, the Centre said on Thursday.

Goa Ministers to contribute to COVID-19 fund

Meanwhile, the members of Council of Ministers in Goa have decided to contribute their one month salary towards COVID-19 fund, as per a statement on Thursday. This was decided at a Special Cabinet meeting recently. The statement further said that the IAS, IFS and IPS officers will also be contributing Rs 10,000 each towards the COVID-19 fund voluntarily.

READ | Delhi cops identify and quarantine 275 foreign nationals who attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation

READ | Timely action against Tablighi Jamaat by Maharashtra Police saves many lives

The total number of COVID-19 positive cases on Thursday rose to 2,069 in India including 1,860 active cases, 155 cured, discharged or migrated patients and 53 deaths, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

READ | 9000 Tablighi Jamaat contacts quarantined, 1306 foreigners: Health Ministry

READ | Tablighi Jamaat scare: UP Police traces, isolates 569 persons who attended event in Delhi

(With agency inputs)