The deadly coronavirus has infected 727 people in Uttar Pradesh and claimed 11 lives so far. According to reports, the Tablighi Jamaat religious congregation held mid-March in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area has significantly contributed to the cases in the state.
Additional Chief Secretary, Information and Home, Awanish Awasthi, said majority of the people who have tested positive for the virus in the state are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat event which was organised in Nizamuddin area of Delhi last month. Awasthi said of the total cases, 58-60% are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation or those who are related to them or came in contact.
He said that of the total cases in the state, 619 are from the government-identified hotspots.
According to Principal Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad, 2,717 such people have been identified and 2,470 have been quarantined in the state so far. In total, 10,661 people are kept in quarantine facilities across the state. Prasad said among those who died mostly included elderly persons or those who had some underlying medical condition.
Alone on Wednesday, the state reported 67 fresh cases and three fatalities. Among the latest deaths, one each was reported from Lucknow, Agra and Kanpur, he said. The state government has now decided to conduct a death audit of all those who died due to the deadly virus that could help authorities in dealing with cases.
The Nizamuddin area in Delhi emerged as the coronavirus hotspot after a religious congregation was organised last month, defying government’s restrictions. The event was attended by 9,000 people. On March 23, it was found that over 2,000 people were staying at the Markaz Nizamuddin despite restrictions on all public gatherings. Later, many of the attendees tested positive for coronavirus and visited different states.
The Centre and states pressed all machineries to trace those who attended the event and their contacts. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs data, nearly 25,000 people in the country have been placed under isolation who are linked to the religious congregation.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement DIrectorate has filed a money laundering case to investigate the entire funding of Tablighi Jamaat Markaz at Nizamuddin. Chief Maulana Muhammad Saad Khandalvi who is missing since police booked him, has been slapped with a notice with the 36 questions at his farmhouse in Shamli by Delhi Police.
