Tamil Nadu’s First Covid-19 Victim Had Come In Contact With Islamic Preachers From Thailand At Madurai

Tamil Nadu’s first Coronavirus (Covid-19) victim, taking the toll in the country from the dreaded pandemic Covid-19 to 11, had come in contact with a group of Thailand Tablighi Jamaat preachers in Madurai before testing positive.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar told the media that the victim, a 54-year-old person, was in touch with the two of the Thai Islamic preachers who have tested positive for Covid-19. This was also the first domestic Covid-19 case in Tamil Nadu.

The two Thai nationals are currently undergoing treatment at IRT Medical College, Perundarai near Erode.

During the early hours this morning, Vijayabaskar tweeted that the deceased, brother of a doctor who died at the Government Rajaji Hospital, had a medical history of prolonged illness depending on steroids, uncontrollable diabetes and hypertension.

The minister added that Coronavirus patients with co-morbidity conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, immunosuppression were at high risk — something that is being witnessed in Italy.

On Tuesday (24 March), Madurai district collector Dr T G Vinay told the media that the patient was stable, though the oxygen saturation in his blood was falling.

The collector said that the Madurai victim had attended a function on 9 March in which 60 persons had taken part. His family has already been quarantined.

In a WhatsApp message, a person hailing from the mohalla (neighbourhood) where the deceased lived identified the victim and said that he had attended the meet of the Tablighi Jamaat preachers at the Anna Nagar mosque in Madurai.

After that, he went to a private hospital a fortnight ago when he developed a sore throat. The hospital authorities said they suspected pneumonia and admitted him to the hospital.

Soon after, the hospital authorities said they suspected the patient to have been infected with Coronavirus and asked him to get admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital.

The patient was kept in an isolation ward, where samples drawn from him did not show any Coronavirus presence. The 54-year-old Madurai native was screened again during the weekend when the results turned Coronavirus positive.

The message said authorities had quarantined his family, relatives and those who had met during the last fortnight. His wife has now been placed in the isolation ward.

The two Thai Islamic preachers were part of a group of seven Tabligh Jamaat preachers who had come to Tami Nadu’s Erode district in line with the sect’s objective to make Muslims aware of Quran and orthodox religious practice.

In neighbouring Salem district, a group of 11 Indonesian preachers of the Jamaat have been asked to undergo health screening for Coronavirus.

In Telangana, nine Tabligh Jamaat preachers from Indonesia have tested positive for Cornavirus, while a Karimnagar resident who was in contact with them has also tested positive for the pandemic.

So far, 574 persons have tested positive for Coronavirus in India, including 40 who have recovered and 11 who have become victims. Of the 574, foreigners account for 42 cases out of which the Tablighi Jamaat preachers from Indonesia and Thailand comprise 11.