Assam seeks list of Nizamuddin returnees from mosques; COVID- 19 cases rise to 25

(Eds: With additional inputs)

Guwahati, Apr 4 () Assam Health Minister HimantaBiswa Sarma on Saturday asked mosques to submit the names ofpeople in their areas who attended the Tablighi Jamaat eventin New Delhi that resulted in the sudden spike in COVID 19cases across many states, and warned of action if they do notdo so by Sunday.

The number of COVID 19 afflicted people in Assam,meanwhile, rose to 25, with several of them linked to theTablighi event in Nizamuddin.

"I humbly request the imams and amirs of all mosquesto give the list of people who had gone from their respectiveareas to attend the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddinby tomorrow or else the government will have to take action,"the minister told a press conference here.

All coronavirus positive patients in the state, exceptfor one, are linked to the religious congregation in Delhi'sNizamuddin West last month, he said.

"A new COVID-19 case was reported from North Lakhimpurdistrict on Saturday and the person had attended the TablighiJamaat congregation," the minister tweeted earlier in the day.

"Nizamuddin is an evolving story with 24 cases havingconnection with the congregation but we have not got thedesired cooperation from the mosques," he said.

Altogether 1,529 samples have been tested so far with812 of them having links to the Nizamuddin event, he said.

The test results of 636 people were negative but theyare currently under quarantine, the minister said, adding theywill undergo further tests.

Test results of 152 are still awaited, Sarma said.

The number of coronavirus positive cases is swellingas the disease is spreading due to the infection caused byNizamuddin returnees "from Silchar in Barak Valley toLakhimpur in upper Assam, Morigaon in central Assam to Kamrupand Nalbari in lower Assam", the minister said.

Assam Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahantaurged the returnees of the Tablighi Jamaat congregation, whoare still hiding in the state, to report to the healthauthorities by Sunday.

"Otherwise police will take stern action against themin the greater interest of stopping the spread of COVID 19,"the state police chief told reporters in Tezpur.

The only COVID-19 patient without any link to theNizamuddin event and his family members have been extremelycooperative and they have given a list of 111 persons whocame in contact with him, he said.

Terming the situation "very serious", Sarma appealedto all those who attended the Jamaat congregation to call thehelpline number 104 or contact health workers so that theirsamples can be tested and their contacts traced.

The minister said he was planning to discuss thematter with the mosque authorities.

"If they do not cooperate, we will have to ask thedeputy commissioners and superintendents of police to takenecessary action to ensure that they go for the test,"he said.

The first COVID-19 case in the state, not related tothe Nizamuddin event, was reported from Guwahati, which fallsunder Kamrup (Metro) district and the patient, a resident of ahigh-end apartment, had travelled to Delhi recently, adistrict official said.

The samples of the 111 people who came in contact withthe patient have been taken and they are quarantined indifferent places in Guwahati and Nagaon, he said.

The patient, who is undergoing treatment at theGuwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), tweeted on Saturdayrequesting all who came in contact with him to quarantinethemselves.

The apartment complex with 150 flats has been declareda "containment zone" with nobody being allowed to come in orgo out except in case of a medical emergency.

The district administration will be in contact withthe housing society to ensure the supply of essential items,the minister said.

The COVID 19 patients are being treated at GMCH,Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital and Sonapur DistrictHospital here, Golaghat Civil Hospital, Goalpara CivilHospital and Silchar Hospital. DG BDCSK SK