Over 200 people who attended the congregation and have shown Covid-19 symptoms have been kept in isolation in hospitals in Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

The Telangana government has revealed that six people who participated in a religious congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, tested positive for coronavirus and have now died.

Over 2,000 delegates, including from Indonesia and Malaysia, attended the congregation of Tablighi Jamaat, a Muslim religious organisation, from March 1-15, in the Nizamuddin West area in Delhi. However, locals said that a large number of people continued to stay at the Jamaat's 'Markaj' (Centre) even after this period.

The six persons had also attended the congregation, where they are believed to have contracted coronavirus.

Of the six, two died at the Gandhi Hospital and one each at the Apollo Hospital and Global Hospital in Hyderabad. Two others died in the Nizamabad and Gadwal districts respectively.

Nine more people, who, too, had attended the religious gathering in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, have tested positive for coronavirus in Andaman. One more person, who is a relative of one of the nine persons, too, has tested positive for Covid-19.

Telangana government confirmed that special teams, led by the collectors of the respective districts, have identified suspects who are likely to be infected by the virus and have rushed them to hospitals. They are being tested currently for Covid-19.

The Telangana government has also requested all who visited Delhi to approach health facilities near them immediately.

ANDHRA MLA GOES INTO SELF-ISOLATION

On Sunday, Andhra Pradesh YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MLA Shaik Mohammad Mustafa, along with 14 others, has put himself under quarantine after his relative (Patient 10) tested positive for Covid-19.

Patient 10 had visited Delhi and participated in a religious congregation at Nizamuddin. His close contact -- Patient 13, Patient 14 and Patient 15 -- were also tested positive.

Meanwhile, sources said that out of 14 persons who were put under quarantine, six including Guntur (East) MLA Mustafa have developed symptoms.

However, the final test result from GGH Vijayawada lab is awaited.

NIZAMUDDIN CONGREGATION SPARKS MASS TRANSMISSION SCARE

Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel cordoned off a major area in Nizamuddin West in south Delhi while over 200 people have been kept in isolation in hospitals after several people who took part in a religious congregation there earlier this month showed symptoms of coronavirus, officials said on Monday.

Over 2,000 delegates, including from Indonesia and Malaysia, attended the congregation of Tablighi Jamaat, a Muslim religious organisation, from March 1-15, officials said. However, locals said that a large number of people continued to stay at the Jamaat's 'Markaj' (Centre) even after this period.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered an FIR against the cleric who was leading the congregation, sources said.

Delhi Police, CRPF officials and medical teams went to the locality late on Sunday night after reports that a large number of people were showing symptoms of the disease, the officials said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Devesh Srivastava, however, said around 300-400 people had taken part in the congregation.

"We have isolated the Markaj building (of Tabligh-e-Jamaat) from the rest of the area where the gathering had taken place. We are assisting the health department in taking out people for check-ups, Srivastava said.

Another senior police official said a notice has been served to the organisation for violating prohibitory orders and restrictions imposed owing to the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier this month, the Delhi Government had banned religious, social, cultural and political gatherings as well as protests comprising more than 50 people till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The entire area, which includes residences and the headquarters of the Tabligh-e-Jamaat was cordoned off.

The joint Delhi Police-CRPF-medical team has been checking people and shifting them to designated hospitals for quarantining, the officials said.

The police have been using drones for surveillance in order to check any violations.

Buses have been kept in readiness for shifting people to quarantine centres. Hotels in the area that had housed people from the congregation have been sealed.

Alarm bells started to ring after a man in his 60s who had attended the congregation succumbed to COVID-19 in Srinagar last week.

According to officials, there were several smaller congregations culminating in the big meeting at the headquarters of the organisation which shares its wall with the Nizamuddin police station and is adjacent to the famous shrine of Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya.

The congregation was attended by preachers from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Dubai, and Malaysia. About 600 Indians from different parts of the country also participated.

The Indian members of the group left on trains and flights. Contacts of a few cases that were identified in several parts of the country were traced to the congregation, the officials said.

Nearly 30,000 people reside in Nizamuddin west and Nizamuddin Basti area.

A nationwide lockdown was imposed on the movement of people for 21 days from Wednesday to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.