7 more who tested positive for COVID-19 are Tablighis from Kerala

New Delhi, Apr 11: Seven of the sixteen persons who tested positive for coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday belong to the Tablighi Jamaat.

The seven are from Mallapuram in Kerala and are in Kashmir as part of the routine Tablighi's missionary programme that is held across the world.

The seven workers were quarantined in the Entrepreneurship Development Institute at Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar. They had arrived in Kashmir on March 14 and were quarantined in the various Mosques, following which they were moved to the EDI.

Currently, at least 69 workers of the Jamaat are under quarantine at the EDI of which 58 are from other states. Officials said that six persons tested positive from Baramulla, four from Kupwara and one fro the Chattabal locality of Srinagar.

The first Tablighi related COVID-19 case was reported from Kashmir on March 24. The 65 year old from Hyderpora died on March 26 at Srinagar. Officials say that a massive operation has been launched to trace 72 Tablighi workers who are missing in Kashmir.

These are persons from Srinagar, Kupwara and Kulgam.