By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
DEHRADUN, 6 Apr: Four new cases of Corona positive were reported from Dehradun, while one Corona positive case was reported in Ranikhet of district Almora, today, taking the total number of Corona infection cases to 31 in Uttarakhand. All the new cases are reported to be related to Jamatis who now account for around 75 percent of total positives in the state. So far, 5 cases have been treated successfully in the state and have been discharged. While four had been discharged earlier, one was discharged today.
One Army Subedar, who had a travel history of Rajasthan, had been admitted to Military Hospital after testing positive. After his second consecutive negative report, he was discharged today.
Now, the majority of the cases are related to Jamatis returning mostly from the Tablighi Jamat in Nizamudin Markaz, New Delhi.
What is the most worrisome factor in this regard is the fact that most of the Tablighi and other Jamatis are not coming forward and declaring their travel history and participation in the Jamat, which has heightened the risk of community spread of the Corona virus infection. This possibility has created a lot of concern in the Uttarakhand Government, too. Yesterday, DGP Anil Raturi had to issue a warning of stern action and slapping of serious charges if those who had attended the Tablighi Jamat failed to come forward to declare their participation.
Today, partial success was achieved by the administration with the cooperation of Muslim leaders of the BJP, including Shadab Shams, when 64 participants came forward and declared their participation. However, sources close to the BJP leaders said that the administration had got hold of a list of 64 participants who were then convinced to come forward by these BJP leaders of the community to get medically tested. The administration also agreed to their home quarantine along with their families and only if they tested positive would they be shifted to Hospital quarantine. Meanwhile, efforts are still being made to trace all possible Jamat participants, their families and others who had come in their contact.
All four detected positive today have been quarantined at a hotel in Kotra Santoor in Pachhwa Doon, from where they are being shifted to Doon Medical College Hospital. As per the health bulletin issued this evening, 19 reports are still awaited in Dehradun, 16 in Almora, and 57 in Haridwar. A total of 144 reports are still awaited in the state.
