927 Nizamuddin event attendees traced in Hry, five test COVID-19 positive: Vij

Haryana's Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday said that 927 attendees of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area have been traced in the state, with five of them testing COVID-19 positive so far.

Of the 927 people traced till now, 107 are foreigners.

The minister, who a day ago said 503 people, including 72 foreigners, who attended the Nizamuddin event have been traced in Haryana, indicated on Thursday that the number may go up further.

Vij, who also holds the health portfolio, said that 820 out of the 927 traced are from outside Haryana, and the foreigners include Bangladeshi, Malaysian, South African, Nepali and Sri Lankan nationals.

"We do not exactly know who all they have met. There is a possibility that some of them may have infected others who in turn unknowingly may be carriers. The report which I have at present states that among those traced so far, two from Ambala and three from Palwal have tested COVID-19 positive," he said.

The foreigners have been kept in isolation while samples of 256 other suspected cases have been sent for testing and all were being quarantined, the minister said.

Informing newspersons that samples of all the 107 foreigners have been sent for testing separately and reports are awaited, Vij said a majority of them were on tourist visa.

They all had concealed information regarding their travel details within the country and action against them according to law is being contemplated, the minister said.

Asked if the foreigners will be deported, Vij replied, "We cannot do so till they test negative."
To a question how many of the 927 traced so far could have entered the state after the lockdown was put in place, he said, "This information is being gathered."
On the purpose of this group entering Haryana, Vij said on Wednesday that after attending the congregation they are assigned duties and sent to different places across India to preach. "They stay in mosques, go to people's homes and hold meetings."