Assam has names of 456 returnees from Nizamuddin; moves to find, quarantine them

The Assam government said Tuesday it has names of 456 people from the state who were present in and around Delhi's Nizamuddin Dargah, which apparently become a coronavirus hotspot after a religious congregation there earlier this month, and has moved to find and quarantine them. Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told media the state government this morning received a list of 299 people who were either in or around the site during the Tablighi Jamaat.

Two hours later, a list of another 157 people from Assam being present there was received, taking the total count to 456, Sarma said. "We don't know if there were more people from Assam in the religious event. This is the list we have presently. Through mobile tracing, we got their names, address," he said.

"I immediately held an urgent video conference with all the district Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police and advised them to take swift and strict measures for all those who returned from the hotspot at Nizamuddin Markaz of Tablighi Jamaat", Sarma said, adding he gave the instruction that all 456 be quarantined by this evening. He also appealed to the returnees from the state to voluntarily go to the nearest hospital or make a call on the state's coronavirus helpline number 104.

"Tomorrow their tests have to be conducted, their swab taken and we have to know whether they are negative or positive. We have started work in this direction and we will be able to quarantine them by this evening", he tweeted around 2.30 pm. He urged people not to take any action on their own as the district administrations will "do their work of quarantining them". "No need to create an unruly situation as we have received the list and the administration will quarantine them. I would appeal to the people rather not to come out of their homes to catch them", Sarma said.

"If we get one of the 456 persons, we will get the names of who else were with him. It is a serious issue…we have received the list with names and phone numbers for the district administration to take action by this evening", he said. Asked on the number of such people entering Assam, the Minister said there were reports of four/five, but it was yet to be confirmed.

Sarma also tweeted, " Urgent Request. If there is anyone from Assam who attended the religious congregation of Tablighi Jamaat at Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi, please IMMEDIATELY report voluntarily to the nearest government hospital or by calling Helpline no # 104. Please treat this as very important". More than 200 people who attended a religious congregation in the Nizamuddin West locality of Delhi showed symptoms for the new coronavirus and a major part of the area was cordoned off by authorities to contain any possible spread.

Over 2,000 delegates, including from Indonesia and Malaysia, attended the Tabligh-e-Jamaat from March 1-15. Six persons from Telangana who attended the congregation died due to coronavirus.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)