Telangana reports 15 more COVID-19 positive cases among Nizamuddin Markaz returnees

Telangana government reported 15 new COVID-19 positive cases on Tuesday, March 31 -- all of which had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Markaz Nizamuddin in Delhi. Telangana Health Minister, E Rajender, said that these people are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the state. With this, the total number of active patients in the state has risen to 77.

This comes a day after the Telangana government informed that six people from the state had died of coronavirus infection after their return from the Tablighi Jamaat congregation.

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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.

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According to sources, Karnataka has traced 64 attendees have been quarantined, Tamil Nadu has traced 981 of 1500 attendees – 16 have tested positive, Assam had 100 attendees – most of them still in Delhi, Telangana has confirmed 1300 attendees with 6 deaths – all attendees, contact tracing ongoing.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh has traced 626 of the 711 attendees (8 have tested positive), Andaman has reported 10 positive cases – 9 of which were attendees, UP has traced 157 attendees, Jammu & Kashmir has identified 6 attendees. Currently, India's total COVID-19 cases stand at 1251 with 32 deaths.

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(Image - PTI)