Twenty-four people in Delhi have tested positive for the coronavirus and more cases may be confirmed after a religious gathering at a mosque in the Nizamuddin area which has been linked to seven Covid-19 deaths. Close to 2,000 people had been staying at Markaz Nizamuddin, the Delhi headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat group, for weeks. Many of the people who attended the event came from countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which have reported huge numbers of Covid-19 cases. A police case has been filed against the mosque administration. Several states are now trying to track down members who attended the meet and could be vectors for a larger spread.
Several members from Telangana, Kashmir and Andaman & Nicobar who attended the Nizamuddin event have tested positive for Covid-19. But what should worry Arunachal in particular and the Northeast in general is that around 500 people from the region attended the same event. Assam has the highest number, and already a person who has tested positive is being linked to the same event. Arunachal being an immediate neighbour will have to take extra measures. There are reports that residents of districts like Sonitpur, Dhemaji, Tinsukia and North Lakhimpur, which share boundaries with Arunachal, attended the Tablighi Jamaat programme. The state government should further increase patrolling in the boundary areas and not allow anyone from Assam to enter the state. Also, the goods entering state should be properly sanitized at the check gates to stop any possible spread of the virus.