PM Modi to address all state CMs via video-conference on Thursday amid Markaz COVID scare

With the sudden spike of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases amid the Nizamuddin Markaz scare, PM Modi is scheduled to address all state Chief Ministers via video-conferencing on Thursday. Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has informed that in a 36-hour operation all 2361 occupants in the mosque have been evacuated of which 617 have been hospitalised and others have been quarantined, with the entire building being sanitised. The Delhi Crime Branch which has booked the Markaz chief Maulana Saad for violating lockdown is currently searching for him by raiding possible hideouts.

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What is the Nizamuddin COVID-19 scare?

On Monday, sources reported that a religious programme was organised at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters Markaz Nizamuddin mosque between 13-15 March which had over 3400 attendees from Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan and from several states in India. After attending the meeting, prior to the nationwide lockdown, 1500 of these attendees returned to several parts of the country, possibly spreading the COVID-19 virus. On Sunday, around 50-70 people, who were hiding in a mosque, were taken to LNJP hospital as they were all COVID-19 suspects – 24 have tested positive. The mosque has claimed that while they were letting small groups of attendees leave from the venue prior to the Janta Curfew, several were stuck in the area – which has now been entirely quarantined – owing to the nationwide lockdown.

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Attendees contact tracing on

Ministry of Home Affairs informed that 1746 individuals were staying in Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz as of March 21 - 216 foreigners, 1530 Indians. While 1339 Tabligh Jamaat workers are being screened and quarantined, the government has banned all their tourist visas for violating conditions. Apart from these individuals, MHA stated that 2137 persons have been identified in different states. Most stated have quarantined the attendees tracked by them and are contact tracing the others. The highest number of attendees were from Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh. Other states like Gujarat, Goa, Kerala, Punjab, etc too are tracing and quarantining attendees. Currently, India's COVID-19 cases stand at 1637 with 38 deaths.

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