With six fresh infections, COVID-19 cases climb to 76 in Haryana

With six more persons testing positive for coronavirus in Nuh and Gurugram districts, the number of cases in Haryana rose to 76 on Sunday, the state health department said.

While Nuh reported five fresh infections, Gurugram reported one, it said.

The total of 76 includes 15 patients who have been discharged. There are 61 active cases in the state, the health department said in its afternoon bulletin.

The total also includes four Sri Lankan nationals, one Nepalese national and 20 people from other states of India, the bulletin said.

Haryana has reported one death due to COVID-19 so far.

Health Minister Anil Vij said 29 Tablighi Jamaat members were among those who have tested positive for coronavirus in the state so far.

On reports claiming that there could be more Jamaat members in the state who were yet to be tracked down, Vij said, "We believe we have tracked all of them. But still if a few of them are hiding, they should themselves report to the concerned district administration so that they can be quarantined.

"However, if they fail to do so over the next couple of days, then strict action as per law will be taken against them," he said.

Earlier, Vij had said as many as 652 of the 1,300 Tablighi Jamaat members who came to Haryana had been traced to Nuh alone.

Over 1,300 Tablighi Jamaat members, including 107 foreigners, came to Haryana before the lockdown came into force on March 25, Director General of Police Manoj Yadava had said on Friday.

All of them have been quarantined, he had said.

Vij on Sunday said tenders had recently been floated and four firms will supply 1,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits each for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff at the frontline of the battle against coronavirus.

On the lockdown in the state, he said initially it did take a couple of days to persuade people to stay indoors, but now they are complying with the government orders.

"People are showing great restraint and cooperating with the authorities," the minister said.