26,000 quarantined after 10 feast attendees contract COVID-19

Morena, Apr 5 () Days after 10 people testedpositive for coronavirus after attending a funeral feastorganised by a man on his return here in Madhya Pradesh fromDubai, over 26,000 of their contacts and family members havebeen places under home quarantine, officials said on Sunday.

The man, who worked as a waiter at a hotel in Dubai,returned to Morena from Dubai on March 17 after gettinginformation about his mother's death, Sub-DivisionalMagistrate (SDM) R S Bakna said.

"He organised a customary feast on March 20 to markthe 13th day of mourning after his mothers death," he said.

The man initially hid his travel history, but revealedit after he and his wife tested positive for coronavirus onApril 2, Chief Medical and Health Officer R C Bandil said.

The couple came to a hospital on March 27 after theircondition deteriorated. Since doctors suspected coronavirus,the couple was immediately sent to an isolation ward and theirsamples were taken which came out positive following which theman revealed his travel history, he said.

On April 3, 10 more people who came in contact withthe couple tested positive for the deadly viral infection,alarming the district administration.

The authorities later came to know that 1,000 to 1,200people attended the feast organised at the man's residence.

"This caused the spread of infection. Theadministration has sealed the entire ward no.47, where the manresides," Bakna said.

According to Bandil, total 27,881 people have beenhome quarantined in the district so far. "Nearly 26,000 ofthese people are those who attended the feast, their familymembers and contacts," he said.

As many as 24 people have been admitted to thedistrict hospital after their screening during contact tracingof these patients, he said.

People from other areas who attended the feast havealso been identified and home quarantined and their health isbeing monitored by doctors, the official added. COR ADUGK GK