People travelled with Nizamuddin Markaz returnees fear as COVID-19 cases rise

As hundreds of people who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz conference tested positive for Coronavirus in India, people did not attend the conference but shared seats with the participants on flights are under stress now.

New Delhi:With the spike in COVID-19 positive cases among people who have attended the Thablique Jamaad's Conference at Nizamuddin, other passengers who have travelled with people went for the Markaz are on panic mode and looking for government's counselling.

As hundreds of people who attended the Nizamuddin Markaz conference tested positive for Coronavirus PAN India, people did not attend the conference but shared seats with the participants on flights are under stress now.

"I have travelled from Delhi to Coimbatore on 24th March morning. I have seen more than 70% of seats were occupied by people attended the Nizamuddin Markaz conference. In fact two people had sat very next to me on the Indigo aircraft. As many people attended the religious conference are being tested positive for COVID-19, I am anxious about my travel. Though I don't have any symptoms of the infection but I become worried at times," said M Raja, a Delhi-based video journalist.

Even some social media posts have witnessed that people from the conference have taken selfie with MPs after getting boarded into the aircraft.

A Tamil Nadu's Annamalai based returnee posted his selfie picture which he took with Pollachi LS seat DMK MP Shanmugasundaram while they were travelling on the flight from Delhi to Coimbatore on March 24.

As the matter stormed the social networks, the MP stated that he had done the swab test and the result came negative for COVID-19.

Anyhow, the Shanmugasundaram has to isolate himself as the incubation period for the COVID-19 is 14 to 28 days.

A Kanyakumari based Mahendran, who had travelled on Air India flight bound for Madurai from Delhi has also revealed that more people from the Markaz conference were boarded into the flight which he had travelled.

"Governments are searching many people who attended the conference. We have been hearing that the participants are absconded now. Government should trace them with the passenger's travel history from Delhi on March 23 and 24. After the announcement came that domestic flights will be cancelled before 12AM on March 24, people had rushed to the airport return to their places. As many turned positive for COVID-19, I am thinking to undergo a test now," Mahendran said.

It is noted Tamil Nadu Government Health and Family Welfare Secretary Beela Rajesh had declared that around 1,500 people from TN had gone for the conference.

"The government had traced around 500 people. The remaining should come forward to prevent the massive spread," the officer requested.

However, the health department officials in the southern state said many of the people's mobile numbers remain switched off.

Likewise, about 200 people attended the Markaz are missing in Karnataka according to reports.

As the numbers are alarming, many people who returned on last minute flights before the lock down are under stress and expecting the guidance of Government.