At least 157 from state attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin: UP govt

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday said at least 157 people from the state attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin, claiming that most of them have been traced.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said, "around 95 per cent" of this number have been traced and are being tested for coronavirus.

The tests so far have come out negative, he said.

Only 10 to 12 people are yet to be identified, he added.

Awasthi's press briefing came a few hours after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cut short a western Utter Pradesh trip, rushing back to Lucknow to take stock of the possible fallout of the Nizamuddin congregation.

"People are being tracked. Their testing has to be done. If they are tested positive, they will be quarantined and given treatment," Awasthi said, adding that the chief minister has directed not to show any laxity in this regard.

"Regarding the Delhi incident, the chief minister has instructed to immediately identify and examine all those who have entered UP after the event. Besides, he has also said action be taken against those who did not reveal their illness to the health authorities," Awasthi said.

"Around 95 per cent of the people who returned from the event have been identified. Only 10 to 12 people are yet to be identified for which instructions have been issued to all the district magistrates and CMOs," he added.

He also urged people who attended the gathering to get themselves tested.

"People should themselves turn up before the administration for testing. This is in their interest, their relatives and the society," he said.

Awasthi added that action will be initiated against those violating gathering restrictions, appealing to people to inform police about such persons.

"They will be first counselled, and if necessary, action will be initiated against them," he said.

Earlier in the morning, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Ghaziabad, but called off the rest of the trip.

He headed back to Lucknow meet senior officers and review quarantine measures, after reports that a meeting organised by Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi's Nizamuddin may have infected many people from the state, an official said.

Twenty-four people, who took part in the religious congregation in Nizamuddin West earlier this month, have tested positive for coronavirus, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Tuesday.

"An estimated 700 people, who attended this congregation, have been quarantined while around 335 people have been admitted to hospitals," he told reporters, referring to the situation in Delhi.

In Hyderabad, the Telangana government late Monday said six people who attended the congregation between March 13 and 15 died due to coronavirus.

Thousands of people, including foreigners, visited the Jamaat premises over the past month, triggering fears now that they have spread the virus.