COVID19: 10 hotspots in India; no, Kashmir is NOT one of them

Srinagar, Mar 31: With 227 cases reported on Monday, the total number of positive cases of Coronavirus in India has crossed 1251 and killed 32 people.

According to a report in the Indian Express, the government of India has identified 10 hotspots across the country.

The report quoted officials as saying that “a place is identified as a ‘cluster’ where more than 10 cases are detected” while “hotspots” are the places where several clusters are detected.

The hotspots that have emerged across the country are Dilshad Garden and Nizamuddin in Delhi, Noida, Meerut, Bhilwara, Ahmedabad, Kasargod, Pathanamthitta, Mumbai, and Pune.

J&K, where nearly 50 cases have been detected so far, is fortunately not among the hotspots although the trail of Tableeghi Jamaat cases has reached here as well.

More than 200 people showing symptoms of the Coronavirus were admitted to different hospitals by Delhi’s Health Department on Monday.

Over 2,000 delegates, including from Indonesia and Malaysia, attended the congregation of Tableegh-e-Jamaat, a Muslim religious organisation, from March 1-15, officials said. However, locals said that a large number of people continued to stay at the Jamaat’s ‘Markaz’ (Centre) even after this period.    

Nizamuddin emerged as a hotspot after a religious meeting was held at Markaz by the Tableeghi Jamaat earlier this month.

In Uttar Pradesh, Gautam Buddh Nagar has so far recorded 32 positive cases of Coronavirus, the highest for any district in the state, making it yet another hotspot for the Coronavirus.

In Maharashtra, Pune has so far registered 37 cases while Mumbai has reported 88 cases.