Recent rise in COVID-19 cases is due to travel by Tablighi Jamaat members: Govt

The Centre on Wednesday said one of the main reasons that the number of positive coronavirus cases increased as compared to the previous day is due to the travel by members of Tablighi Jamaat.

However, Joint Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Lav Agarwal, said that the recent rise in cases does not represent a national trend.

Speaking at a press conference, Agarwal said, "In India, as of now there are a total of 1,637 cases of COVID-19. 386 new positive cases have come from yesterday till now. 38 deaths have been reported and from yesterday till now, three deaths have been reported. 132 COVID-19 cases have recovered."

"The number of positive cases have increased as compared to yesterday. One of the main reasons for this is the travel by members of Tablighi Jamaat," he said.

"1,800 people in Delhi, who have been related with this Jamaat, are now shifted in nine quarantine centres. The recent rise in cases does not represent a national trend," he added.

Agarwal also gave the break-up of the new COVID-19 cases in various states and Union Territories.

"From Jammu and Kashmir, there are 23 new cases of COVID-19, from Telangana it is 20, Andhra Pradesh 17, Andaman and Nicobar Islands nine, Tamil Nadu 65, Delhi 18 and from Puducherry, two cases have been found from this transit-related history," he said.

He said that Railways is preparing to set up 3.2 lakh isolation and quarantine beds by modifying 20,000 coaches. "Modification of 5,000 coaches has begun. Lifeline flights have been started to transport essential commodities like testing kits, medicines and masks," he added.

The states are arranging food and shelter for the migrant workers, 21,486 relief camps have been set up where 6,75,133 people have been given shelter, said Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Home Ministry.