COVID-19 India Updates | Of 14,378 Cases, 4,291 Related To Nizamuddin Markaz

NEW DELHI: The Union Health Ministry on Saturday announced that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases are 14,378 and 480 deaths. In the 24 hours, 43 new deaths and 991 new positive cases have been reported, and 1,992 people have recovered.

Addressing a daily media briefing to give updates on the COVID-19 situation in the country, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said that of the total cases 4,291 cases in 23 states and Union Territories are linked to the Markaz event of Nizamuddin congregation held in Delhi in March.

"A total of 4,291 COVID-19 cases or 29.8 per cent of the 14,378 coronavirus infections reported so far are linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation," he said.

The health ministry official also said that in some states which have reported fewer number of COVID-19 infections, also had cases with links to the Markaz event. For example, the only coronavirus case reported in Arunachal Pradesh till now is related to the Markaz event. Similarly, 32 of the 35 cases reported in Assam and 10 out of 12 cases from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are linked to the same congregation, he said.

Agarwal added that the cases have been found in the states which already has high burden of the disease, such as Tamil Nadu (84 per cent), Telangana (79 per cent), Delhi (63 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (59 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (61 per cent).

The ministry has provided the age-wise mortality which has been around 3.3 per cent, adding the highest number of mortalities are among people aged 75 years and above with 42.2 per cent.

In about 83 per cent cases, the patients were found to be co-morbid and Agarwal reiterated that the elderly and people with co-morbid conditions are at high risk.

The joint secretary in the health ministry also said that protocol for using rapid antibody test kits have been shared with the states.

"Rapid antibody test kits is to be used in hotspots. It can also be used for surveillance and for epidemiological purposes in such areas where COVID-19 cases have not emerged so far. RT-PCR test is the gold standard for frontline test and antibody test cannot replace this test. Utility of rapid antibody test is primarily for assessing prevalence of infection in a particular area," he said.

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