Six new COVID-19 patients in Kashmir traced to Tablighi Jamaat event at Nizamuddin

With six coronavirus positive cases in the Valley reported on Saturday traced to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation, authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have gone on contact tracing of these patients on war footing.

The six, including three males and three females, who had been quarantined for several days, tested positive for novel coronavirus on Saturday. Sources said all of them had a history of stay at Markaz Nizamuddin, the Delhi headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat.

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They said that the contact tracing of the patients is being carried out on a war footing basis in various areas of north Kashmir’s frontier Kupwara district, where they belong. Four of them were quarantined at ITI Handwara while one was quarantined at Tangdhar and the sixth in Bandipora.

Nodal officer for COVID-19 in Kupwara, Nazir Ahmad said that the positive patients had not visited their native places after their return from Delhi as they had been quarantined. However, he said, the administration will have a look into the quarantine centers and take proper measures to contain the transmission.

Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

Defying all COVID-19 precautions, thousands had gathered for an event at the Markaz from March 8-10. They included members from several countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia, who had tourist visas.

The first death due to COVID-19 in Kashmir was linked to the Markaz event as a renowned businessman, who had travelled to Delhi to attend Tablighi congregation, died on March 26 in a Srinagar hospital. After his death, at least a dozen persons, who had come in contact with him after his return, tested positive for COVID-19 in J&K.

A total of 1023 positive cases of COVID-19 with links to Tablighi Jamaat congregation have been reported across the country.