Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday requested those who participated in the religious conference at Nizamuddin West in Delhi to voluntarily come forward, so that they can be tested and treated for COVID-19 if necessary. Mr. Palaniswami, responding to a question, also said if there were symptoms among any participants at the Isha Foundation event held recently, they would also be subjected to testing.
On Wednesday morning, the Chief Minister undertook an inspection of an Amma Unavagam at Santhome and ate an idli there. He also checked if people were maintaining physical distancing and interacted with a few people who were having their food there.
“Out of nearly 1,300 persons from Tamil Nadu who participated in the meeting in Delhi, 515 [two days ago, he had said 981 persons had returned and were being tested] have been identified through different means and they are being tested for COVID-19. Of these, 45 were found positive yesterday. We are trying to trace the remaining participants who returned to the State, but we are not getting their addresses. They should voluntarily come forward considering the intensity of the spread of the virus which will affect not only them, but their family and a large number of people in the society,”Mr. Palaniswami said.
Mr. Palaniswami said that the government will provide them with adequate medical treatment to help them recover and it would be easier to treat if symptoms are identified at the initial stages itself. “Many of those who were found positive are recovering,” he said.
To a question on whether participants at Isha Foundation’s Shivaratri event will also be subjected to medical screening as there were also a number of foreign nationals who took part in the event, the Chief Minister said if anyone were found to be having symptoms, they would be tested and treated. “In this case (Delhi gathering), they had symptoms. Without symptoms, we will not be able to say anything,” he said.
With political parties, individuals and certain organisations offering their premises for creating COVID-19 treatment wards, Mr. Palaniswami said the State currently had 17,000 beds in hospitals and that was sufficient at the moment. “If it comes to such a situation (where there is need for more beds), we will definitely use these (premises being offered),” he said.
On the confusion over EMI payments and banks and financial institutions debiting customer’s accounts despite an RBI guideline, the Chief Minister said the State government and the Centre had made it clear on a three-month moratorium. “However, I will take up the matter with the Central government and insist with them that this be adhered to,” he said.
