Coronavirus: Connection to Azadpur mandi proves dangerous as Jhajjar reports 8 more cases

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, May 5 

The Azadpur mandi connection continues to prove dangerous for Jhajjar district, which reported eight new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the case tally to 64 here. Five out of eight fresh cases are connected to a vegetable market in Bahadurgarh, while the three others are labourers who work at Sultanpuri in Delhi. 

Randeep Singh Poonia, Civil Surgeon, said samples of 2,838 persons of the district were taken on Monday and 64 among them had tested coronavirus-positive. Forty among them tested positive in the random sampling of 1,579 persons while the report of 591 persons is yet to come out, he added.

“There has been no community transmission of COVID-19 virus in Jhajjar district as the source of infection in all those found positive here is known,” he claimed, while citing the results of a research study conducted by the district health authorities.

“We had taken the samples of a total 350 primary contacts of all COVID-positive persons in the district and none of them has tested positive. Jhajjar district has recorded a total of 64 COVID cases up to Monday and 38 among them are directly connected to Azadpur Mandi in Delhi, while 14 are their close contacts (family members). The 38 people are vegetable sellers, labourers and transporters who used to bring vegetable/fruits from Delhi,” said Poonia.

The civil surgeon said the primary contacts were those who bought vegetables or fruits from these COVID-positive patients and sold them at their shops in residential localities and villages. Street vendors were also among the primary contacts.

“The research study was carried out to ascertain any indication of community transmission of COVID pandemic in the district. Since we have found the source of infection in all Covid positive hence the people need to be panicked and worry from Covid pandemic but they must follow the guidelines issued by the government to contain it,” he added.

Poonia pointed out the source of infection remains unknown in the stage of community transmission of Covid-19 but Azadpur mandi and various hospitals in Delhi are the primary source of Covid infection among residents hence there is no community transmission in Jhajjar district.