400 COVID-19 cases with linkage to Tablighi Jamaat found: Health Ministry

As many as 400 coronavirus patients have been found whose epidemiological linkage can be traced to the Tablighi Jamaat cluster at Nizamuddin, the Centre said on Thursday.

"Through contact tracing in different states, we have found 400 coronavirus cases, whose epidemiological linkage can be traced to the Tablighi Jamaat cluster," Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, told media here.

"Till now, maximum cases of 173 were found in Tamil Nadu. 11 cases in Rajasthan, 9 cases from Andaman and Nicobar, 47 cases in Delhi, 2 cases in Puducherry, 22 cases in Jammu and Kashmir, 33 cases in Telangana, 67 cases in Andhra and 16 cases in Assam. We are doing additional testing and more cases are likely to emerge," he added.

The Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi has emerged as a hotspot for COVID-19 after several positive cases across India were linked to the gathering, including deaths in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana.

An FIR was earlier registered against Tablighi Jamaat head Maulana Saad and others under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 in Delhi.

Commenting upon COVID19 positive case found in Mumbai's Dharavi, Aggarwal said: "In the particular colony, the building has been sealed and sample collection of all residents of the building is underway. As per protocol, contact tracing is underway."

Responding to a question on media reports of Delhi's Hindu Rao hospital doctors resigning over demand for personal protection equipment asked by ANI reporter, Aggarwal said: "We've placed orders for more than 1.5 crores personal protective equipment (PPE) and supply has started."

"PPEs have also been sent to the States. The domestic indigenous manufacturing of N-95 masks has been boosted and we have also placed orders for more than one crore N-95 masks," he added.