RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh, which was on a recovery path with nine out of ten patients cured, saw seven new COVID-19 positive cases in Katghora block of Korba district, about 180 km from Raipur on Thursday.
There were no new cases reported during the last four days in the state.
All the affected patients would be shifted to Raipur AIIMS tonight, a government spokesperson said.
All the seven patients are members of Tabligh-e-Jamaat but only one among them is reported to have attended the religious congregation at Delhi-based Nizamuddin Markaz. There are 16 members of the Jamaat who have been identified in the region, though the test report of the remaining was found to be negative.
The entire Khatghora block has been sealed and the COVID-19 hotspot comprising of around 2000 people has been declared as a 'containment zone'.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel directed the secretary (health) and the district collector to carry out the test of each person in the containment cluster.
A special team has been constituted which will be dedicated to the affected region. All the people who visited Katghora and came in contact with the locals during the last 20-odd days would be identified and home quarantined, the official said. Besides, all doctors, health workers and medical staff will also undergo the test.
'Initiate quick actions by creating a special war room for Katghora. The emerging situation is challenging though we have always been prepared to face such emergency', the chief minister affirmed while instructing the officials.