Chennai: Tamil Nadu government is in the process of checking out for Coronavirus infection symptoms on those persons who had attended the Islamic conference held in Delhi, said officials.
On Monday the state reported a sudden spike in Coronavirus positive cases. A total of 17 persons were tested positive taking the total to 67 in Tamil Nadu.
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.
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 to testing.
According to government officials, about 1.08 lakh homes in 12 districts where Coronavirus infections has been reported have been screened
