PM Modi urges CM Thackeray to 'trace & test' Markaz attendees; Maharashtra tally at 335

As Maharashtra reports 33 new cases totaling to 335 cases, PM Modi on Wednesday has had a telephonic conversation with CM Uddhav Thackeray on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in the state. State officials said the prime minister urged Thackeray to step up "tracing, testing, and treatment" of the persons who arrived in Mumbai and the rest of the state after attending Tablighi Jamaat meet in New Delhi last month. The Prime Minister is scheduled to address all state CMs via video conference amid the sharpest spike in cases seen in India (386).

BREAKING: First positive COVID-19 case detected in one of world's largest slums, Dharavi

First case reported in Dharavi

Earlier in the day, in an alarming development, a 56-year old man with no travel history was tested positive in Asia's biggest slum - Dharavi. While he has been shifted to Sion hospital, his family has been put under quarantine. Moreover, the BMC has sealed the entire building - making it one of the 191 'containment areas' throughout the city where positive cases have been reported. Health Minister Rajesh Tope had warned that the number of positive cases in the state is expected to rise  adding that about 5000 individuals are high-risk contacts who have been quarantined

COVID-19: Thackeray govt warns of rise in cases in Maharashtra; 5000 persons quarantined

Maharashtra & Markaz

According to PTI, 252 people from Maharashtra attended Delhi's Tablighi Jamaat congregation. Officials state that 54 attendees have been quarantined in Nagpur, 1 in Wardha and over 200 attendees have been traced in the Konkan area. Contact tracing is still ongoing by state officials. Overall 3400 people had attended the event - Tamil Nadu: 1500 - 110 have tested positive, rest in quarantine; Gujarat: 1500 attendees - tracing ongoing (29 attendees tested negative); Telangana - 1100, 65 are being traced; 6 have died, 76 tested positive; Uttar Pradesh - 569 (most in quarantine); Haryana- 503 (all traced & quarantined); Himachal Pradesh - 157 (All traced & quarantined); Madhya Pradesh - 107 (trace ongoing), Chattisgarh - 101, Bihar -81, West Bengal -71, Assam -100 - (67 still in Delhi, others quarantined, 1 positive); Arunachal Pradesh -1.

Coronavirus LIVE Updates: First case reported from Mumbai's Dharavi; total cases at 1637

Maharashtra under lockdown

On March 14, the Thackeray government invoked the Epidemic Diseases Act declaring the Coronavirus as an epidemic - declaring all gyms, swimming pools, malls, theatres, pubs shut in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, Pimpri-Chinchwad till March 31 amid the rising cases of Coronavirus. With the railways shutting down its services on March 22 marking 'Janta Curfew', the Maharashtra government extended a state-wide curfew, stopping all transport services across districts. After PM Modi announcing a 21-day lockdown, Maharashtra too enforced the same as the state recorded the highest number of cases at 335, with 9 deaths.

Centre contacts foreign envoys to seek info about Markaz attendees; action likely: Sources