Man who attended Tablighi Jamaat event dies at COVID-19 isolation centre in Sultanpuri

A 60-year-old man who had attended a congregation of the Tablighi Jamaat here last month and is suspected to have been infected with coronavirus died at an isolation centre in Sultanpuri in northwest Delhi on Wednesday, officials said.

A group of people at the centre have alleged negligence by the authorities saying the man was diabetic and that he did not get the required medical attention on time, a senior police official said.

The administration has, however, denied the charge and said the man did not reveal in his medical history that he suffered from diabetes.

"Whenever a patient is brought to the COVID-care centre, we take down his medical history. The patient never mentioned about him being diabetic," an official said.

He said a probe has been ordered to ascertain veracity of the allegations. "The cause of death will only be ascertained after his post mortem report comes," a senior official said.

The deceased was brought to the centre on Monday from the Rajiv Gandhi hospital here and also underwent a COVID-19 test, officials said, adding that his reports were awaited.

On Wednesday, at around 8 am, the patient complained of chest pain and restlessness and he was attended to by a team of doctors stationed at the centre. At around 10 am, his condition deteriorated and he died before he could be taken to the nearest hospital.

Following the death, a crowd gathered and raised objections. However, police intervened and made way for the body to be shifted from the centre, the police official said.

The police officer said no complaint has been received in this regard.

They said the man hailed from Tamil Nadu and had attended the Tablighi Jamaat's congregation at Nizamuddin in March where many people are suspected to have contracted coronavirus apparently from foreign delegates.

Officials at the hospital said nearly 762 people with mild symptoms of coronavirus were recently moved from the LJNP, GTB and Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty hospitals to the centre at Sultanpuri in northwest Delhi.