Even as authorities in Telangana have launched an intensive drive to identify and quarantine all those who had attended a meeting of the Tablighi Jamaat in New Delhi, containment measures continue in Karimnagar, where the first positive cases of people who attended the Jamaat were reported. Speaking to TNM, Karimnagar Collector Shashanka K said that the containment procedure was in place in the district and the city.
A group of 10 Indonesians preachers who were in Karimnagar, had tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month. The Indonesian patients were believed to have participated in Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Nizamuddin in New Delhi between March 8 to March 15. The group later travelled in coach number S9 of AP Sampark Kranti Express (Train no: 12708), boarding it at Delhi on March 13 and alighted at Ramagundam in Telangana on March 14, before travelling to Karimnagar.
A Karimnagar man who had hosted the group and taken them around a few educational institutions and places of worship in and around the town has also tested positive for COVID-19. The two latest cases from Telangana were the mother and sister of the 23-year-old man – Patient 30.
The Collector said, "When that person (Patient 30) tested positive, his close associates and his family members were brought in and samples were taken. Out of that, only two of his family members tested positive."
All the family members including a few children are in quarantine. He informed that all the persons who could have come in direct contact with positive patients and those who violated the home quarantine rule were kept in government quarantine at Satavahana University and Chalmeda Anand Rao Medical College.
Earlier this month, after the cases were detected, officials announced restrictions in a 3 km radius in the city where the Indonesian group had moved around, which was considered the 'containment zone'.
Shashanka said, "We cordoned off one particular area because the Indonesians have moved around that particular area. We asked people not to move out of their houses and we have been supplying essentials to their households."
According to the Collector, a health screening in the locality is being planned to start from Wednesday and depending on the results, restrictions in the area will be eased.
Meanwhile, police authorities are taking firm measures to enforce the three-week lockdown in the city. As many as six check posts on district borders beside five check posts within the city along with 15 pickets and nine dynamic mobile parties are overseeing the lock down.
The police are also deploying drones to virtually monitor the lockdown. If a gathering is spotted, patrol teams will go to the scene to disperse.
While two of the six new positive cases in the state are from Karimnagar, the total number of cases in the state is 77. Till date, 13 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals and there have been six deaths.
State Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industry & Commerce, Information Technology, K Tarakarama Rao (KTR) said, "The new development that came to light yesterday, that is the Nizamuddin congregation -- of course we are concerned and doing our best in terms of identifying the exact number of people from Telangana who attended this congregation. We are doing a 360 degree screening on them to see who all they have come in contact with in last few days."