Coronavirus: Sangrur patient was on pilgrimage; visited multiple mosques, villages

Parvesh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Sangrur, April 10 

The Sangrur health department has been left scrambling after it was discovered that a 55-year-old man, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday night, travelled to various villages and mosques in the district as part of a pilgrimage.

The man has been placed under isolation and a massive contract tracing campaign has been launched here.

The man belongs to New Delhi and had reached Malerkotla by train on March 4.

Sangrur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ghanshayam Thori said the man visited multiples mosques in different villages. 

“During preliminary inquiry by officers, it has come to light that from March 4, the patient travelled to Malerkotla, Pohid, Ghungrana, Kila Raipur, Sarian villages. He also visited the Hanfiya Mosque, Ahemdgarh, Nurani Mosque, Ahemdgarh, Dehlij Mohdi Mosque, Dehlij Nurani Mosque and Dehlij Alkarim Mosque,” said Thori.

Ahemdgarh Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vikramjit Singh Panthey said that they had launched a special campaign to trace “outsiders in their area.”

“During a visit to Dehlij Kalan Mosque, we found him staying there with some other members of his group. He told us that they had been on a pilgrimage. Initially, all his tests were negative and they were put under quarantine at Mastuana sahib. But last night he tested positive and we have shifted him to the isolation ward,” said the SDM.

Panthey said that they had sealed Dehlij village and deputed a team of doctors and police. Samples of other people are being collected. 

“Apart from conducting tests of all residents, we have also started supplying essential commodities. They do not have any connection with Nizamuddin Markaz as they came from other areas of New Delhi,” said Panthey.