Coronavirus in India: 389 linked to Tablighi meet test positive to COVID-19

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Coronavirus in India: 389 linked to Tablighi meet test positive to COVID-19
Coronavirus in India: 389 linked to Tablighi meet test positive to COVID-19

New Delhi : The Health Ministry on Wednesday blamed the attendees of Tablighi meet at a Delhi mosque for a sudden rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the country.

Luv Agarwal, joint secretary of the health ministry, announced that 134 coronavirus cases were linked to Tablighi Jamaat. "There were 386 new COVID-19 cases since Tuesday - one of the main reasons for it is travel by members of the Tablighi Jamaat," he said.

"As many as 1,800 people related to the group have been sent to hospitals and quarantine centres," he added. This was at around 4pm.

When data from several states poured in, it was seen that 389 (almost 20%) of 2000-plus cases were linked to TJ. Nine deaths were reported in Telangana.

The number is likely to rise sharply as the test results of 8000 TJ followers and the people with whom they were in contact is awaited. Also, government data shows, 16 people connected to the TJ meet – three foreigners and 13 Indians – have died in different parts of the nation.

In Delhi, more than 2300 TJ followers and their contacts have been quarantined – 536 of them were found symptomatic to the deadly coronavirus. 1810 people have been shifted to the quarantine facility while others have been admitted to the hospital.

In Tamil Nadu, it was nothing less than a blast of coronavirus cases as it registered 190 new coronavirus cases in Tablighi Jamaat attendees. 300 pilgrims are still untraceable. Around 1500 people had participated in the three-day conference from March 21.