1,000 people from T'gana estimated to have attended Markaz prayers: officials

: The Telangana administration

is estimating that over 1,000 people from the state might have attended a religious congregation in the national capital's Nizamuddin area earlier this month, a senior official said adding the search is on to identify people who came in contact with them.

The State government intensified its efforts following the death of six people who attended the meeting.

A government press release late Monday said the six persons who attended the congregation between March 13 and 15 died due to coronavirus.

"We estimate over 1,000 persons might have attended the congregation in Delhi. Respective district collectors and police personnel were on the job to locate people who came in contact with them after their return. Family members of the deceased were quarantined depending on the symptoms they show," the official told 'PTI'.

 

Two of the six died in Gandhi Hospital and one each in two different private hospitals here and one each in Nizamabad and Gadwal towns succumbed, the release had said without mentioning the time of deaths.

Till Monday night, Telangana reported 77 coronavirus positive cases, out of which 14 have been discharged.

Since those who participated in Markaz religious prayer meeting were inflicted with coronavirus, all those who participated in the prayers should inform the officials concerned, the government appealed.

It also requested anyone who has information about them should alert the government, the Medical and Health Department of Telangana State had stated in a statement.

When contacted, Nizamabad Collector Narayana Reddy said as of now more than 200 people who are either related to or came in contact with the 53 people who attended the religious prayer from the city have been quarantined.

"One person is still in Delhi and with one death now all the 51 (who had been to Delhi) are under quarantine," Reddy said.

A senior official of Gadwal district said the immediate contacts of the deceased are also being identified and quarantined.

"His (deceased's) son and daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were shifted to Gandhi Hospital after they reported to district administration with fever. Theson and daughter-in-law havetested positiveand are under treatment," the official said.