14 new coronavirus cases reported in Karnataka; tally rises to 124 in state

Nearly 1,000 people from Karnataka, who are linked to Tablighi-Jamaat congregation in New Delhi, have been screened so far, the government said on Thursday, as the state reported 14 new positive cases of coronavirus, taking the total number of the affected to 124.

The state government has been on tenterhooks since Tuesday night, mounting efforts to track nearly 1,500 people as per inputs by the Centre, who might have travelled to the state after taking part in the conference at Nizamuddin in Delhi last month, which has turned out to be the hotbed of Covid-19 spread in the country.

Among 14 new positive cases reported in the state include- ten men, who had attended the Tablighi-Jamaat Congregation from March 13-18 at Delhi, and are currently isolated at a designated hospital in Bidar; while one woman from Kalaburagi is the contact of a person who has attended congregation.

"Based on inputs given by police and central govt, nearly 1000 people linked to Tablighi Jamat, Nizamuddin have been screened by Health dept till morning. Out of them 6 have been found symptomatic," Karnataka Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said in a statement.

"Further, more than 200 swab samples have been drawn from them. Tests are going on in labs, and out of nearly 100 preliminary test results, 11 from Bidar dist are positive. Contact tracing and isolation works are already on," he said, adding that out of all identified Tablighi Jamaat members, 19 are foreigners.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa however, said 391 people associated with Tablighi Jamaat have been identified so far.

"...Some 391 Tablighi Jamaat workers have been identified, and based on the advise of doctors they have been placed under home or institutional quarantine and this process will continue," he said, adding that the number is expected to go up in the days to come.

According to bulletin by the state health department, 124 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state which includes 3 deaths and 11 discharges, till Thursday evening.

"In Karnataka, 124 people have been infected by coronavirus and we are in the ninth place in the country for number of cases," Yediyurappa too said.

Speaking to reporters after attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video conferencing with various Chief Ministers to review the lockdown situation in the states and preventive measures taken by the states, he said, "the decision on future (of lockdown) will depend on how we conduct ourselves till April 14 (last date of 21 days lockdown). After April 14 a task force will be formed and decide on what needs to be done in the days to come."