Uttar Pradesh on Friday reported 51 new coronavirus positive cases, 47 of them being members of Tablighi Jamaat who had attended a Nizamuddin markaz meet in Delhi in mid-March.
With the fresh addition, the total number of coronavirus positive cases rose to 172 in UP.
The 47 Tablighi Jamaat members have been quarantined in 14 districts of the state.
Reports of the highest number of 12 cases of Jamaat members testing positive came from Saharanpur, followed by six from Kanpur, five each from Agra and Meerut, four from Firozabad, three from Azamgarh and the rest from other districts.
“We have ordered the sample test of all Jamaat members who attended the Delhi function or who came in contact with the attendees,” Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad told media persons in Lucknow on Friday.
Prasad also said that aggressive containment process was underway in affected districts while surveillance was also underway to find out if there were any fresh cases.
“On Thursday, eight labs across the state tested 465 samples and soon testing facilities would start at Jhansi Medical College. Level 1 Covid hospitals have started functioning in all districts while six Level 2 Covid hospitals would be notified by Saturday,” he said.
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi confirmed that till date 1,203 members of Tablighi Jamaat or those with links with them were identified across the state and the tests on 897 of them were conducted.
Awasthi further said that 297 foreign Tablighi Jamaat attendees too were detected and passports of 228 had been confiscated while 35 FIRs were lodged against them in 16 districts of UP.
The additional chief secretary said that a massive search was being made at all religious places and people from there were being taken out for test and to be quarantined.
He said that in Lucknow too, the police sealed the Sadar Bazaar area and were searching for people at a local mosque.
Speaking on growing attacks on men in uniform for enforcing lockdown, Awasthi said that the government was very serious over the issue and strictest action would be taken again the offenders.
“All districts administrations have been asked to monitor law and order through use of drones and DMs and SPs would be held responsible for escape of any quarantined or isolated person,” he added.
The additional chief secretary said that soon the chief minister would hold video conferencing with religious leaders from districts to seek assistance for ensuring lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“A high-level committee headed by a senior High Court judge has decided to release248 juvenile inmates jailed for petty crimes in UP,” he said.
On Friday, an FIR was registered against 57 foreign nationals for attending Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi and withholding information from authorities.
Besides, 20 people from Saharanpur attended the event and they were quarantined in Delhi.
