COVID-19: 3 Nizamuddin Markaz attendees test positive in HP, CM asks to keep close watch

The number of corona-infected patients in Himachal rose to six on Thursday with three out of 190 participants of the Tablighi Jamaat meet at Nizamuddin, traced and quarantined in the state, testing positive for COVID-19.

Amid the ongoing state-wide manhunt for Tablighi Jamaat meet participants, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur asked state officials to keep a close watch on the people from the state who attended the Islamic congregation in New Delhi last month, an official spokesperson said.

The Islamic discourse was attended by thousands of Jamaat members, along with hundreds of foreigners -- many of them suspected coronavirus carriers -- and has triggered a nationwide scare of community spread of the virus.

Till Thursday, a total of 190 people who returned to the hill-state after attending the congregation in Delhi have been quarantined, Director General of Police Sitaram Mardi said.

Additional Chief Secretary (Health) R D Dhiman said the three persons, who have been found positive, had returned to Una district recently after attending the congregation last month.

They are being sent to Tanda's Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC) for treatment, he said.

The official said the people who came in their contact are being traced.

A total of 27 samples were taken for testing on Thursday, of which three from Una were found positive, whereas samples of one person have been taken again, Dhiman said, adding that the remaining 23 were negative.

Earlier three cases were found positive in Kangra district. One of them recovered, whereas the other died. The third patient is undergoing treatment at the Tanda hospital.

Of 190 Jamaat Tablighi participants traced in HP, 73 have been are quarantined in Baddi, followed by 35 each in Una and Sirmaur, 23 in Shimla, 10 each in Kangra and Chamba and four in Mandi district.

Another 17 Nizamuddin Markaz attendees from the hill state have been quarantined in Delhi itself.

Meanwhile, as per unconfirmed reports, the Union home ministry has sent a list of more than 700 Himachal Pradesh natives who attended the congregation.

The list has reportedly been prepared after tracking the mobile phones of those who were present at the Markaz. However, despite repeated queries by the media, no one from the state police confirmed or denied it.

In the meantime, the state's DGP has urged Muslims to hold Friday prayers in their homes instead of mosques.

The CM issued the direction to keep a close watch on Nizamuddin Markaz attendees during a video conference with deputy commissioners and superintendents of police after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video conference with chief ministers of all states to review the COVID-19 situation.

Such people should be kept under strict surveillance after being traced to check spread of COVID-19, he said.

Stressing that religious leaders should not hold functions or gatherings, Thakur directed officials to take strict action against violators.

The chief minister also asked all DCs and SPs to hold meetings with religious leaders and disseminate their recorded messages to motivate people of their respective communities to avoid religious gatherings to check the spread of COVID-19.

The DGP further said the 11 Tablighi Jamaat members against whom an FIR was registered at Nerwa police station in Shimla district on Wednesday had not attended the congregation.

They had come from Misarwala village located in Paonta Sahib Tehsil of Sirmaur district, he added.

The 11 were booked under sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of Indian Penal Code at Nerwa Police Station.

They arrived in Nerwa in Shimla district from Paonta Sahib in Sirmaur district to go to their homes in different villages amid a curfew, a Nerwa police officer said.

Eight of them are residents of Kima Chandrawali village whereas two are residents of Bharanu village. The driver Shabeer is a resident of Paonta Sahib, he said.

All of them have been quarantined in Panchayat Bhawan, he added.