Noida: 34 who attended Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi twice home quarantined; no COVID-19 symptoms yet

Thirty-four Gautam Buddh Nagar residents, who have shown no symptoms of coronavirus yet, have been home quarantined as a precautionary measure after it was found that they had attended Tablighi Jamaat twice in Delhi's Nizamuddin, police said on Tuesday.

The Tabligh-e-Jamaat's Markaz (centre) in Nizamuddin West has emerged as a coronavirus hotspot as 24 people who attended a religious congregation there from March 1-15 have tested positive for COVID-19.

"We received information about the Tablighi Jamaat but found that no one from the district had participated in it. However, with a view to ensure precaution, we searched and found that some people from Gautam Buddh Nagar went there earlier in March (this year) and in December last year," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Ashutosh Dwivedi said in a statement issued late on Tuesday night.

"Eleven people from Dadri police station area had been there on December 7, while 10 from Phase 2, six from Ecotech 3 and 17 from Dankaur went there on March 12," he said.

Dwivedi said all these people have been examined for COVID-19 by the health department here but none of them have showed any symptoms so far.

"The health department has asked them to stay home quarantined for some time. It has already been more than 14 days since they attended the congregation and none of them has shown any sign of coronavirus. However, the health department is alert and monitoring them," the officer said.

Gautam Buddh Nagar in western Uttar Pradesh, adjoining Delhi, has already become a hotspot for coronavirus with 38 cases so far, according to official figures.

The markaz in south Delhi's Nizamuddin had organised a Tabligh-e-Jamaat from March 1-15 and at least 2,000 people, including foreigners and Indians from across the country, attended it.

On Sunday night, many residents of the centre started showing symptoms for coronavirus infection and police and paramilitary officials locked down the area. However, authorities fear a spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, five FIRs were registered across Noida and Greater Noida and 30 people arrested for defying the ongoing lockdown, the police said.

A total of 709 vehicles were checked at 132 barriers in the district and challans issued to 98 drivers for various violations. Three vehicles were impounded, they added.

Police Commissioner Alok Singh said his force has so far helped 41,635 people in the district by distributing food, medicines, masks and other items since the lockdown, ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to combat the spread of coronavirus, came into force.

He also appealed to people to strictly adhere to the lockdown.