Coronavirus: 30% Of All Cases In India Related To Nizamuddin Markaz, 17 States Report Cases Linked To Tablighi Jamaat

At least 1,023 COVID-19 positive cases related to a religious event of Tablighi Jamaat in west Nizamuddin area of Delhi has been identified so far in the country. According to the Union Health Ministry, coronavirus cases related to the Tablighi Jamaat have been reported from 17 states. Out of the total cases in the country, around 30 per cent are linked to one particular place, said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary in Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on Saturday.

Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, said that around 22,000 workers of Tablighi Jamaat and their contacts have been quarantined through a massive effort.

Meanwhile, the Union health ministry has issued guidelines for the states on the method of supplying oxygen to the medical facilities handling COVID-19 patients and said all hospitals and staff concerned must be told to ensure timely requisitions and payments so that there is no disruption in the oxygen supply.

In a letter to the additional chief secretaries, health secretaries and mission directors of the National Health Mission of all states and Union territories, the ministry said the COVID-19 pandemic is throwing up unique challenges for our health systems and also leading to challenges of not only ensuring an adequate oxygen supply but also regarding the protocols related to handling the major sources of supplies.

The coronavirus pandemic has killed over 60,000 people worldwide, nearly three quarters of them in Europe, since it emerged in China in December, according to a tally compiled by AFP at 1330 GMT (7 PM IST) on Saturday from official sources.

A total of 60,457 deaths have been recorded, including 44,132 in Europe, the continent worst hit by the virus. The official tallies probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of cases. (With Agency Inputs)