2 Tablighi Jamaat attendees quarantined in Andhra Pradesh

Two persons, who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi's Nizamuddin area have been quarantined in the Gannavaram quarantine centre.

Krishna (Andhra Pradesh) [India], April 1 : Two persons, who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi's Nizamuddin area have been quarantined in the Gannavaram quarantine centre.

The family members of both the persons have also been sent to a quarantine centre set up at BC Hostel Nandigama.

Both of them belonged to the rural areas of Krishna district. While one person was from Muppalla village, the second person belonged to Raghavapuram village.

"It is found that many of those who went to Delhi Markaz and returned are testing positive for coronavirus. So, we have shifted such persons in Nandigama mandal to the quarantine centre set up at Gannavaram Veterinary College," said GV Ramana Murthy, Nandigama DSP.

"Medical tests have been performed but the results are pending. However, we identified the relatives and others with whom those persons were in contact. In case any of them proves positive, we will see what to do with their contacts," Murthy added.

Andhra Pradesh saw an exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 positive patients, with 43 confirmed cases noted on Wednesday. All these patients earlier attended the religious gathering at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi.

A huge religious gathering was held at the Markaz building between March 13 to 15. The gathering came into the spotlight after those who attended the event started to test positive for coronavirus.

Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has appealed to all those who went to the Delhi Markaz gathering to come forward and get tested voluntarily to contain the spread.

Meanwhile, police have identified more than 60 lorry drivers who came from Maharashtra and Gujarat, and have shifted those lorry drivers to Nandigama quarantine centre as a precautionary measure.

"On Sunday we identified lorry drivers from Maharashtra and Gujarat at areas surrounding Kanchikacherla, Nandigama and Veerullapadu mandals. We have detained them at Kanchikacherla check post. Today, we accommodated 34 of them at Social Welfare Hostel at Nandigama," said Murthy.

"We are moving the remaining 40 to the quarantine facility at the polytechnic college. This is merely a precautionary measure. We will quarantine them for 14 days. After that they will be allowed to leave. All medical and food facilities are arranged here. If any of them are showing any symptoms, they will be provided full medical aid. Otherwise, they will be allowed to leave after 14 days," Murthy added.

The total number of novel coronavirus cases in India climbed to 1,637 on Wednesday, including 38 deaths, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

( With inputs from ANI )