COVID-19: Assam reports 12 more positive cases, all attended Nizamuddin congregation

Assam government on Wednesday said the state suddenly slipped into a "critical situation" as 12 more persons, who returned from the Nizamuddin congregation in West Delhi were tested COVID-19 positive and 117 others were still traceless.

This took the total number of positive cases to 13 including a 52-year-old cleric from South Assam's Karimganj district, who tested positive on Tuesday.

Four more persons from Assam, who also attended the Nizamuddin congregation but are still in New Delhi also tested positive.

Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said four persons were tested positive in Gauhati Medical College Hospital and eight in Jorhat medical college laboratory.

"All 13 positive persons had attended the congregation but did not pay attention to our repeated appeals to visit medical centres for tests despite showing symptom of possible coronavirus infection. We have identified at least 13 persons so far who had come in contact with the first positive person. But we still don't know how many persons came in contact with those who are still traceless and possibly got infected. Some of them have switched off their mobile phones and their family members are also not co-operating with us. This has suddenly put us in a critical situation," Sarma said.

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Till Monday, Assam tested over 400 samples but no positive cases were reported. The state was expecting less case as many migrant workers, who returned from the COVID-19 affected states were about to complete their 14-days quarantine period. But the Nizamuddin incident has suddenly turned the table.

The Centre on Tuesday shared a list of 456 persons from Assam, who had visited Nizamuddin between March 13 and 15. The state went into a tizzy as the Nizamuddin's Tablighi Jamaat congregation has emerged as "a hotbed" of Coronavirus infection with some of them already testing positive in Delhi, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The 52-year-old cleric, who is also suffering from blood cancer and diabetes had boarded the Rajdhani Express in South Assam's Karimganj district and reached Delhi on March 6. He attended the Tabhligi Jamaat programme till March 10. He again boarded the Rajdhani Express and came back to Guwahati the next day. He stayed two nights in Athgaon Masjid in Guwahati, where he came in touch with two persons. He met another person in the Rajdhani Express while going back to Karimganj. We are also trying to trace those who travelled in the same coach with him," Sarma said.

The health minister revealed the names of all 17 positive persons from Assam saying this would help those who came in contact with them to inform the health department immediately (using helpine number 104) and come forward for tests and quarantine.