BENGALURU/BIDAR: A cluster infection from the
Tablighi Jamaat congregation
in Delhi surfaced in the state on Thursday as 10 delegates from Bidar and a family member of a Kalaburagi delegate tested positive for Covid-19. The latter delegate himself tested negative.
The state has managed to trace 391 delegates who attended the gathering in Nizamuddin Markaz in March. “A total of 91 people linked to the
Tablighi Jamaat gathering were tested,” CM BS Yediyurappa said in Bengaluru; 81 tested negative. All those who tested positive are from Bidar district, the northern tip of
Karnataka, about 690km from Bengaluru. Medical education minister K Sudhakar said the number of cases was likely to spike in the days to come as testing progresses.
Based on mobile tracking, the Centre had passed on a list of 1,500 people from Karnataka linked to the Delhi conference. “Based on inputs given by the police and the Centre, nearly 1,000 people were screened by the health department till Thursday morning. More than 200 swab samples from symptomatic delegates have been sent for testing,” state health commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey said.
Only one delegate has symptoms: Bidar DCThe chief minister said while all identified delegates have been quarantined, authorities were trying to contact others who may not have returned from the meet. Helpline numbers have been publicised for those linked to the biennial gathering to report themselves.
Yediyurappa said given the lockdown, several delegates may be stuck in districts where they travelled to preach, unable to return home. “District administrations have been asked to identify the members and quarantine them wherever they are. If they are traced to other states, the respective state governments will be informed and asked to quarantine them there,” he said. “This process will involve extensive inquiry and technical support. It has also been decided that based on their health condition and advice of doctors, tests will be undertaken.”
Bidar deputy commissioner HR Mahadev said of those who tested positive, only one patient was showing symptoms of the infection. “Ten people are asymptomatic, while one person has developed mild cough and cold. We have also isolated nearly 100 people in the district, including family members of those who are infected.”
Delegate’s kin test +veIn Kalaburagi, a family member of a Tabligh delegate tested positive though he tested negative, deputy commissioner Sharath B said. The state bulletin identified the patient as a 60-year-old woman; the DC refused to divulge any details about her.
The district administration had on Wednesday identified 14 delegates and quarantined them, besides isolating their family members.
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