Health workers after inspecting the Nizamuddin venue yesterday
At least 456 people from Assam were believed to be present in and around the Nizamuddin locality in Delhi, the location of Tablighi Jamaat's congregation which turned into a coronavirus hotspot in the National Capital, at the time of the controversial gathering, Assam's health minister Himanta Biswas Sarma said on Tuesday.
"Assam Govt is now in possession of a list of 299 persons who were present in and around the hotspot near Nizamuddin Dargah. We've alerted dist admins to find out if these people have returned to Assam, and strict instructions issued to quarantine them if they are in the state (sic)," Sarma said in a tweet.
Sarma posted another tweet after sharing the information, revealing in his second post that the state authorities had received information that 157 more people from the state could have been present near the "hotspot" of Tablighi Jamaat at Nizamuddin Dargarh. Overall, 456 persons have been identified from the state who could be at the event, or in close vicinity when it was taking place. The tests of all of the suspects will take place on Wednesday, as per reports.
A publication from the region, Inside Northeast Exclusive, has now come out with a district-wise break-up of all people from the north-east region, who attended the congregation that took place between March 13 and 15. It turns out that the congregation had seen participation from all 33 districts of the state, in addition to five districts from neighbouring Meghalaya.
Incidentally, Assam recorded its first coronavirus case on Tuesday itself, with Sarma confirming that a 52-year-old man from Karimganj district had tested positive. Sarma wouldn't reveal if the person had been in attendance at the Nizamuddin congregation.
