Late on Monday night, a Telangana medical and health department’s statement said that coronavirus has spread among some of those who attended a religious prayer meeting from March 13 to 15 at Markaz in the Nizamuddin area of New Delhi.
“Among those who attended were some persons from Telangana. Of them, six died. Two in Gandhi Hospital, one each in Apollo and Global Hospital (these four in Hyderabad) and one each in Nizamabad (north Telangana) and Gadwal (south Telangana),” it said.
On Saturday, state’s health minister Etela Rajender had announced the first COVID-19 death – of a 74-year-old who had visited New Delhi for a religious congregation and returned to Hyderabad on 17 March. The man was found to be Covid-19 infected after his death, Rajender said.
Monday’s night bulletin of the health department had revealed another COVID-19 death while putting the total positive cases recorded in the state till now as 77. It had some encouraging news that 13 COVID-19 patients who tested negative twice and deemed cured were discharged.
However, the above statement released later has alarmed the Telangana public with six total deaths – all who returned from New Delhi.
“Special teams supervised by the district collectors have identified people who came in contact with these persons, and they are shifted to hospitals; tested and treated. Since those participated in Markaz prayers were inflicted with Corona, all participants in those prayers should inform the officials concerned,” the statement said.
“The government would conduct tests and offer treatment to all of them free of cost. So, everyone who went for the Markaz prayers in Delhi should inform the authorities. Anyone who has information about them too should alert the government.”
Public is requested to stay calm and not panic. The government is taking all measures to contain the virus spread and safeguard peoples’ lives, officials add.