Tablighi event, migrant workers gathering setback to lockdown efforts: Prez

President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday expressed concern over the gathering of migrant workers in Anand Vihar and the congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin, saying these two incidents caused a setback to the efforts to combat coronavirus, according to a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan.

In a video-conference with the Governors, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators of states/union territories, the president emphasized the need to ensure that no one remains hungry during the nationwide lockdown, enforced to check the spread of the virus.

"In the conference there was unanimity that there is no scope for laxity or complacency in fighting the invisible enemy. In this context, the president noted with concern the incidents of attacks on doctors, health workers and police personnel in some parts of the country," it said.

Affirming that people of the country have set an example by showing exemplary courage, discipline and solidarity in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, Kovind has expressed concern over two incidents, the gathering of migrant workers in Anand Vihar and the congregation of Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin, both in Delhi, that caused a setback to the efforts, the statement said.

Moreover, while ensuring that food and other essential items are made available to the needy, care has to be taken that no compromise is made on the question of social distancing, he added.

647 COVID-19 cases found in last 2 days linked to Tablighi Jamaat congregation: Health ministry

As many as 647 COVID-19 positive cases found in 14 states in the last two days are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation, the Union health ministry said on Friday.

Out of the 12 deaths reported in the last 24 hours some are related to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said in a daily media briefing.

The congregation took place early last month in the national capital's West Nizamuddin area.

So far there have been 2,301 cases of COVID-19 in India and 56 deaths out of which 12 were reported since Thursday, he said, adding there has been a rise of 336 coronavirus cases since Thursday.

He said till now 157 patients have recovered.

The joint secretary said that "647 positive cases of the coronavirus have been found in the last two days that are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation, and these were reported from 14 states (and union territories) Andaman and Nicobar, Delhi, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh".

"If we see the rise in cases in the last few days, it has primarily been due to an increase at a particular level," Agarwal said in an apparent reference to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation.

He said because of the lockdown and "our efforts to promote social distancing, cases were being reported but there was no sharp rise".

There are 182 labs in the country for COVID-19 diagnosis, out of which 130 are government labs, an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) official said.