Even as the Tamil Nadu government is checking out the Coronavirus infection symptoms in those persons who had attended the Islamic conference held in Delhi, five persons who had travelled to the national capital have tested positive for the virus.

According to state Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar, seven new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the state taking the total to 74. Out of the seven male patients, five (three form Villupuram, two from Madurai) of them had travel history to Delhi.

Of the remaining two, one person is a co-worker of a COVID-19 patient and the other had travelled to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

On Monday, the state reported a sudden spike in Coronavirus infected cases with 17 persons testing positive.

Government officials said about 1,500 persons had attended the conference from Tamil Nadu and the virus infection on the members of this group resulted in the spike.

The health department officials statewide are screening about 1,000 persons who have returned after attending the conference.

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A health department official told IANS the screening tests done in the state have found some asymptomatic persons which is a worrisome factor. The government has appealed to the family members of those who had attended the conference to home quarantine themselves and register with the nearest government hospital.

A Muslim religious organisation Tablighi Jamaat had organised a conference in Delhi's Nizamuddin area this month.

Those who had participated in the conference had returned before the nationwide lockdown was announced.

According to officials, a total of 16 persons who had attended the conference in Delhi have tested positive for Coronavirus in Tamil Nadu.

A 54-year-old person in Madurai tested positive for Coronavirus and later he died. It was learnt that he was in contact with two Thai nationals who had also attended the Delhi conference.

The two Thai nationals also tested positive for Coronavirus and have been admitted to hospital in Erode.

A doctor who had treated the COVID-19 patients in Erode, her 10 month old baby and two others in her household tested positive for virus and have been admitted to hospital.

In Erode containment steps have been taken up.

With people who had attended the conference and those who were in contact with them testing positive for Coronavirus infection, the government has started screening others who had attended the conference and those who were in contact with them in various districts.

Their blood samples are being collected for testing.

According to government officials, about 1.08 lakh homes in 12 districts where Coronavirus infections has been reported have been screened

