Nizamuddin Covid-19 shock: Crisis for govt as 6 die in Telangana, 1 in J&K

More than 2,000 people from all over India and some from abroad attended a Tablighi Jamat congregation in the Nizamuddin area in Delhi. Seven are now reported dead and over 1,500 are in quarantine

A religious congregation of 2,000 people at a mosque in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, which has thrown up several corona positive cases maybe a ticking time bomb as six of the persons who returned to Telangana after attending the congregation have died from the virus and positive cases are emerging from at least five other regions including J&K, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. 

Over 1,500 people have been quarantined in the Markaz itself. A facility is coming up for these people in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, according to several reports. Even on Tuesday morning, people continue to board buses in the Nizamuddin area in order to be taken to different hospitals for a checkup.

• Number of infected cases in Delhi shoot up to 97 by Monday evening from 72 on Sunday
• Six people from Telangana who attended the congregation died
• 1 who attended from Kashmir dies
• 253 admitted to hospitals, 24 test positive
• Around 800 people went to different states, police begin the search for those people

Such is the magnitude of this incident.

How did this happen?

Tablighi Jamaat is an Islamic missionary movement, which was started in 1926. It has headquarters in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, with followers from across the globe. From March 13 to 15, there was a religious congregation attended by nearly 2,000 people, including foreigners. This has now become the latest and the biggest hotspot for the virus in the country. People who attended the event have travelled to various states. The Delhi government has ordered the lodging of an FIR against the head of Markaz, Maulana Saad Kandalvi for endangering the lives of thousands of people.

Markaz Delhi issued a statement stating: On 24th March, a notice was issued by SHO P S Hazrat Nizamuddin, seeking closure of Markaz premises. It was responded on 24th March, stating that compliance of directions regarding the closure of Markaz is underway and around 1,500 people had departed the previous day, thus leaving around 1,000 visitors of different states and nationalities in Markaz. It was also informed that Ld. SDM concerned had been requested to issue vehicle passes so that the remaining people could be sent back to their native places outside of Delhi. List of 17 vehicles with registration numbers along with names of drivers plus their license details were submitted to Ld. SDM so that stranded visitors/guests could be ferried towards their destination. The requisite permission is still awaited. 

Situation in Delhi

The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital climbed to 97 on Monday, with 25 fresh cases being reported in a day, according to the Delhi Health Department.  This was 72 till previous night i.e. Sunday which included two deaths. According to the Delhi Health Department, out of the 97 cases recorded, 89 are admitted to various hospitals.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police cordoned off a major area in Nizamuddin West in south Delhi where several people showed symptoms of being infected with the virus after taking part in the congregation earlier this month, an official said.

"As many as 85 people were brought to LNJP Hospital on Sunday from Nizamuddin area and 68 were brought today, so a total of 153 are admitted in isolation wards and being tested for infection," LNJP MS Dr J C Passey said.

Six dead in Telangana

Six people from Telangana who attended the religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin between March 13 and 15 died due to novel coronavirus, the state government said on Monday.

"Coronavirus has spread among some of those who attended a religious prayer meeting from March 13 to 15 at Markaz in Nizamuddin area in Delhi," according to an official release. "Among those who attended were some persons from Telangana."

Two of the six died at the Gandhi Hospital, one each in two private hospitals, and one each in Nizamabad and Gadwal towns, the statement said, without mentioning the time of their deaths.

Search and treatment

People who attended a religious prayer meeting from March 13-15 at Markaz in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi were sent to Lok Nayak Hospital for coronavirus test on Monday night. The government appealed to all those who had attended the Markaz prayers in Delhi to inform the authorities.

"All those, who went for the Markaz prayers in Delhi should inform authorities. The government would conduct tests and offer treatment to them free of cost. Anyone who has information about them should alert the government and authorities," the Medical and Health Department of Telangana stated in a statement.

Two persons died in Gandhi Hospital while one each died in Apollo, Global Hospital, Nizamabad and in Gadwal. Search has begun in various states. Uttar Pradesh government has given orders to look for them in 18 districts.