AP reports 43 new Covid-19 cases in single day, all traced to Markaz event

State tally doubles to 87, as outbreak reaches most districts; 15 persons tested positive in neighbouring Telangana yesterday

The number of coronavirus cases has been increasing by leaps and bounds in the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with the largest ever catchment of new infections traced to hundreds of people who recently took part in Markaz meeting at Nizamuddin in Delhi.

The number of people tested positive for the coronavirus pandemic doubled to 87 in Andhra Pradesh after 43 of the 373 blood samples of those who returned to their native places from Nizamuddin confirmed with coronavirus infection on a single day today.

In Telangana 15 persons tested positive on Tuesday, taking the total number of active coronavirus patients to 77.  State health minister Etela Rajender said all of them had contracted the virus directly during their recent visit to Nizamuddin or infected from their relatives who attended this meeting.

Andhra Pradesh state had a relatively negligible number of coronavirus cases before the outbreak reached almost every district via hundreds of attendees of Markaz event. The latest numbers put both Telangana and Andhra among the top 5-6 states that recorded substantially high number of infections in the country.

While the authorities traced hundreds of the Markaz participants in their respective states and kept them under quarantine in different places, they fear the numbers yet to be traced is still big. Both the governments have appealed all those who attended Markaz congregation to voluntarily contact the health department to avail of free testing and treatment.