2 Rohingya Muslims Test Positive for Covid-19 in Telangana

Two Rohingya Muslims from Telangana, who attended the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi last month, have tested positive for COVID-19, state Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy said on Monday.

In all, seven Rohingyas living in the state had attended the Islamic religious event in Nizamuddin and two of them tested positive for COVID-19, he said.

The Union Home Ministry had last week asked all states and union territories to screen the Rohingya refugees living under their jurisdiction for COVID-19 as many of them had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation.

The ministry had said the Rohingyas residing in camps in Hyderabad had attended Tablighi Jamaat 'Ijtema' at Haryana's Mewat, and had also attended the meet in Delhi.

Reddy said the condition of the two refugees was stable.

"It has been found that five Rohingyas from Hyderabad and two from Nalgonda district had participated in the Delhi event. Out of them only the two from Nalgonda tested positive for coronavirus and they are now doing fine," he told reporters here.

Responding to a question, Reddy said testing of samples of all people from Telangana who returned after participating in the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi and their contacts had been completed.

In view of Telangana extending the ongoing coronavirus lockdown till May 7, the DGP further said he discussed with the police officials on the implementation of the lockdown and it has been decided to implement lockdown more strictly in the state.

The existing passes issued for essential services will be reviewed, he said adding the pass holders need to re-apply and passes will be cancelled if anyone was found misusing it.

Police have seized nearly 1.21 lakh vehicles across Telangana during the lockdown period so far and registered cases against the violators of the curbs, the DGP said.

He said police have made stepped up security in 329 containment zones spread across the state, where 651 active coronavirus cases have been reported as of Sunday.

Reddy said the three-kilometre radius restriction imposed to prevent people from moving around the city would be strictly implemented and whenever one goes out for essential commodities they should carry residential proof with them or their vehicles will be seized.

Under the rule, people can only go to places within a three KM radius from their houses for purchasing essentials.

The state government has extended the lockdown till May 7.