26 linked to Nizamuddin Markaz test positive in NCR

Ipsita Pati, Vishakha Chaman & Abhijay Jha | TNN | Apr 5, 2020, 07:22 IST

The total number of Covid patients who have a Jamaat link in four districts of Haryana is now 24.

GURGAON/GHAZIABAD: The infection chain from the Tablighi Jamaat event in Nizamuddin last month reached new areas in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday, with five people in Faridabad testing positive, the first cases of Covid-19 in the city neighbouring Delhi and Noida linked to the congregation. Twelve more tested positive in Palwal the same day and nine in Ghaziabad, taking the day’s tally to 26. Reports of many more quarantined in various hospital wards are awaited.
The total number of Covid patients who have a Jamaat link in four districts of Haryana — Faridabad (5), Palwal (15), Mewat (3) and Gurugram (1) — is now 24.
In Ghaziabad, the new patients came from outside the geographic area that monitoring efforts have focused on, the Dasna-Masuri stretch. Of the nine linked to the event at Alami Markaz who tested positive, four are from Pasona, three from Muradnagar and two from Loni, expanding the radius for Covid screening.
In Faridabad, the health department said it had tested 83 of the 117 identified attendees. The results for 30 came in on Saturday, with five testing positive. Three other people, with no Jamaat link, also tested positive, taking Faridabad’s total to 14. One person has been discharged.
“The five patients who attended the Nizamuddin meet have been admitted to Al-Falah hospital. We are trying to identify others too,” said Dr Ram Bhagat, Faridabad deputy chief medical officer, said. He added that quarantine facilities had been set up in Surajkund, Pali and other areas.
Officials said that out of 117, around 18 are from foreign countries, who have temporarily taken shelter in Faridabad.
In Palwal, all 12 people who tested positive on Saturday had participated in the Tablighi Jamaat. This takes the district’s total to 16 cases — 15 with a Jamaat link and one more person who has recovered.
“Containment zones have been created in some villages and 84 people are in quarantine,” Palwal chief medical officer Brahmdeep Sandhu said, adding that three patients are Bangladeshis and 12 are Indians.
The new cases have led to a massive step-up in the containment and quarantine exercise by the health departments and the local administrations, with more testing, surveillance and sanitisation to be taken up.