Six Nanded returnees test positive for COVID-19; Punjab’s tally reaches 330

Six stranded pilgrims brought back from Shri Nanded Sahib in Maharashtra to Punjab have tested positive for COVID-19. While five persons tested positive in Tarn Taran district—that had zero cases till date—three others including a minor girl tested positive in Kapurthala.

Punjab: As many as six of the over 4,000 pilgrims stranded in Nanded district of Maharashtra tested positive for coronavirus disease on Monday after they were brought back home to Punjab, taking the total count of confirmed cases to 330 in the state.

Out of six patients, five persons belonged to Tarn Taran while three hailed from Kapurthala district.

These are the first cases of COVID-19 to be reported from Tarn Taran district, which was treated as ‘green zone’ so far.

"It has been decided to put them in government quarantine and test everybody. Accordingly, place all of them in Government quarantine immediately," Punjab's special chief secretary KBS Sidhu tweeted.

These pilgrims from Punjab had reportedly gone to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Hazur Sahib before the Covid-19 national lockdown was announced on March 24.

Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh had urged the Union home minister to allow the stranded pilgrims to return home by bus.

According to the state government, a total of 4,000 people will be reaching from Nanded, while 3,000 stranded people from Jaisalmer are on their way back to Punjab in 60 buses and will reach the state on Tuesday morning.