Tablighi Jamaat members can return home — Delhi Health Minister

New Delhi, May 7 (IANS): A day after allowing the release of about 4,000 Tablighi Jamaat members who have completed their due quarantine period or have been cured of Covid-19, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said they can return to their home states.

Speaking to the media here, Jain said those who attended the religious congregation at the Nizamuddin Markaz in March and are not facing any police action will be allowed to travel along with the migrants.

"For the people of Tablighi Jamaat whoever has recovered and spent the designated time in quarantine can go to their respective states following the guidelines. If any police investigation is going on against anyone then the police will take care of such issues," Jain said.

On Wednesday, the Delhi government issued an order to release about 4,000 Tablighi Jamaat members who attended the religious congregation at the Markaz in March and have completed their due quarantine period or have been cured of Covid-19 infection. Around 1,100 people related to the Markaz tested positive for Covid-19 in Delhi.

As on date, the national capital reported 5,532 positive Covid-19 cases, Jain said.

"Yesterday 428 cases were reported from Delhi. In Delhi, the situation is under control and the doubling rate of coronavirus cases in the city is currently at 11 days," he said.

The Health Minister also said the people may have to be very careful as they may have to live with the coronavirus for a certain period.

"It (the infection) may stay for a longer period of time. We have to follow all rules, use masks and maintain social distancing at all times. The Delhi government is monitoring the situation 24x7 to ensure that the virus does not spread further," he said.

Compared to western countries, Jain added, the situation in India is much better.

"In Delhi right now we have 3,925 active cases and only 84 patients are in ICU. We should not look into the cases in terms of absolute numbers but we should calculate the rate of growth with respect to the base value. Rate of growth of Covid-19 cases in Delhi was around 8 per cent on Wednesday, earlier the rate was around 20 per cent."

Till May 3, Jain added, there was a lockdown and no movement of people was allowed.

"But now the Centre has permitted to send back the stranded people. We are in constant touch with all the states regarding sending the migrant labourers and stranded people to their respective states and certain states have also taken a number of steps to bring back their labourers. We have shared the list of people with respective states and today a train with stranded people will leave for Madhya Pradesh."