Over 1,000 cases in national capital are Markaz cases: Delhi Health Minister

New Delhi [India], April 16 (ANI): Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, on Thursday, said that over 68 percent of the COVID-19 positive cases in the national capital are of persons who paticipated in the Tablighi Jamaat event at the Markaz Nizamuddin.
"In the last 24 hours, with only 17 new cases being reported and two deaths, the total number of cases rises to 1,578 of which, 1,080 cases (68.4 per cent) are Markaz cases," the Delhi Health Minister told ANI.
Out of the 1,578 cases, 867 people have been admitted to hospitals. 29 patients are in intensive care, five patients are currently on the ventilator and 32 patients are dead.
With regards to whether the extension of lockdown would help to curb the COVID-19 cases in the national capital, he said: "Three weeks of the national lockdown have already been passed with 17-18 days more to go, if the public follows the lockdown norms judiciously, we can contain the spread to quite an extent."
Jain informed that the hotspots identified would continue to remain sealed as the chances of new cases emerging are from these areas is high. "The hotspots have been sealed from all corners and health workers are also going to these areas and checking for any symptomatic patients. The necessities required by people will be fulfilled," he said.
On the issue of a pizza boy being detected with the coronavirus, Jain said that 17 other delivery boys linked with him have been placed under institutional quarantine and 72 people have been placed under home quarantine.
Speaking about the matter of the anesthetist working at the Intensive Care Unit of the Maulana Azad Medical College, he said: "We are currently investigating the matter. Around 20 health workers have been infected and all of them will receive treatment."
Regarding the availability of rapid testing kits, he said that the Delhi Government has not received any new kits as of now, citing reasons that the centres may not have received the kits. (ANI)