2 deaths, 108 COVID cases among those evacuated from Markaz: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said two people who were evacuated from Nizamuddin Markaz died due to coronavirus on Thursday (April 2). The Markaz has become a major hotspot of the infection after several people who attended a religious gathering there tested positive for COVID-19, and some of them even died of the infection.

In a digital press conference, Kejriwal said of the 2,346 people evacuated from the Markaz, 108 have tested positive for coronavirus. However, the number of cases in the national capital may rise in the coming days as the government has decide to test all those who were evacuated from the Markaz, he said.

The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi stands at 219 including four deaths, Kejriwal said, adding there are 208 active COVID-19 cases in hospitals and 202 of them are stable while the rest have been discharged.

The figure includes 51 people who had foreign travel history and 29 are their family members, the chief minister said. The virus has not started spreading among the people in the national capital, he added.

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A total of 2,943 people, including 1,810 from Markaz, have been quarantined by the government, he said, adding that 21,307 have been directed for self-quarantine at their homes.

In view of the lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, Delhi government will give ₹5,000 to autorickshaw, gramin-sewa and e-rickshaw drivers, Kejriwal said further.

(With inputs from agencies)