Coronavirus spread at Nizamuddin: Here is what central, state govts have done so far

Representative Image (Reuters)

The Tabligh-e-Jamaat's Markaz in Nizamuddin West has emerged as a hotspot of the novel coronavirus as 24 people tested positive for COVID-19, following which a major area has been sealed and an FIR lodged against its cleric for violating government orders.

The gathering at Markaz, the Delhi headquarters of the Tabligh-e-Jamaat, was held earlier in March and at least 2,000 people, including foreigners and Indians from across the country, attended it.

Six people from Telangana and one from Jammu and Kashmir, who attended the event, died due to coronavirus.

After the matter had come to light, the Centre and the state governments swung into action to trace people who attended the congregation. Authorities have launched a nationwide search for participants of the huge religious gathering amid fears that thousands present there could have carried the infection to the length and breadth of the country.

Here are the states investigating cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat and actions taken:

Delhi

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said 24 people who had attended the religious congregation at Tabligh-e-Jamaat's Markaz earlier in March tested positive for coronavirus. He said that 1,548 were evacuated and 441 hospitalised after they had shown symptoms.

The Delhi Police has cordoned off a major area in Nizamuddin West.

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Maharashtra

Some people from Pune who attended a religious congregation in New Delhi's Nizamuddin area have been traced and placed under quarantine, said a police official. Some of them were from neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad, he said.

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh saw a quantum jump in the number of coronavirus cases with 21, including 18 who attended the Jamaat congregation, testing positive, taking the overall tally to 44 on March 31, the Medical and Health Department said.

Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh government has identified 82 of the 107 people from the state who attended the religious congregation and put some of them in quarantine, said a top official.

All 32 people from Bhopal, who attended the congregation have been quarantined in Delhi, Bhopal district collector Tarun Pithode said.

Besides, 55 Jamaat members who have come to Bhopal from abroad underwent health examinations, and none of them were found to be affected by any disease (including coronavirus), he said.

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West Bengal

The state government has so far identified 70 people, who attended the gathering. "All those from West Bengal who have participated in this event are being identified and will be immediately tested for COVID-19 and put under mandatory 14 days quarantine," State Home Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay tweeted.

Uttar Pradesh

The Jaunpur administration has quarantined about 50 people who attended the congregation and returned to the district recently.

"People who returned two days ago from Delhi and Noida on buses were scanned. Of this, there were around 50 persons who returned after attending the Tabligh-e-Jamaat. These people have been quarantined at Shia College, and their health check-up is being done," District Magistrate Dinesh Kumar Singh said. He said their addresses and the places they visited after attending the religious congregation are being ascertained.

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Telangana

Telangana reported 15 new COVID-19 cases on March 31-- all returnees from Tablighi Jamaat's religious congregation, taking the total active patients to 77 in the state, Health Minister E Rajender said.

The Telangana government estimated that over 1,000 people from the state might have attended the religious prayer meeting from March 13 to 15 at the Markaz Masjid in Nizamuddin area in the national capital.

The state government intensified its efforts to check the spread of the virus, a day after it announced that six people who attended the meeting have died.

Meghalaya

Seven persons from Meghalaya attended the religious congregation, the Shillong Markaz has informed the state police.

The persons who attended the religious congregation have not returned to Meghalaya, said G Iangrai, the assistant inspector general of police (A). Five of them are currently in Delhi and two are in Lucknow, he said.

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Manipur

The Manipur government has said it has found out 14 people who were linked" to the religious congregation held in Delhi's Nizamuddin, though 39 others are still outside the state.

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(With inputs from PTI)