The Gujarat police on Tuesday said that it has traced 17 persons in Bhavnagar district who have traveled to Nizamuddin Markaz, the headquarter of the religious sect-Tablighi Jamaat- in new Delhi that has become the hotspot of coronavirus infection. Police said that one of these persons was infected and died last week. Bhavnagar has reported six positive cases of which two have died that includes a 70-year-old man who attended the religious gathering in Nizamuddin.
The Director General of Police Shivanand Jha while confirming that one of the COVID19 patients who died in Bhavnagar had gone to Nizamuddin told reporters in Gandhinagar that he has ordered "Anti-Terrorism Squad and Detection of Crime Branch to investigate and find out number of people who went there."
Police said that out of 17 persons, 11 returned to Bhanagar on March 11. Among them was the 70-year-old man who passed away on 26th due to the infection. The police are preparing entire travel details of the other persons. Many others in the list returned at different dates via Hariyana, while one of them has not returned yet.
According to sources, there are many members of this sect who went to Nizamuddin from other districts such as Botad Bharuch Mehsana among others. "We are trying to prepare the list of everyone who attended the event to stop the spread the virus if they are infected which is highly likely. Besides, we also know that there are around 80 to 100 members of this sect who have come from other states to Gujarat and are stuck due to the lockdown."
Gujarat has reported a total of 74 positive cases till Tuesday that includes six deaths. Six patients have been cured and discharged. Principal Secretary, Health, Jayanti Ravi said that there are two persons who are on ventilators while condition of remaining patients is stable. Out of total positive cases, 38 cases are result of local transmission while 32 case have foreign travel history.
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