MADURAI: Nine persons from Madurai who had attended the religious congregation held in Delhi have been tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in the district has now risen to 15.
Earlier, on Tuesday, two attendees of the congregation hailing from Narimedu in corporation limit were tested positive.
While they are quarantined in an undisclosed facility near Thoppur, the nine who have been tested positive on Wednesday are isolated in Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), said the District Collector T G Vinay.
Of the nine men, six were from Melur municipality limit and are of the age 36, 40, 43, 48, 52 and 55. Another three men from Elumalai in Peraiyur town panchayat limit are of the age 49, 57 and 60 respectively.
"Around 2,714 households with a population of 10,448 in Melur, 7,957 households with a population of 31,828 in Elumalai have been contained and monitored by a team of 207 officials from health and other departments.
"During the containment process, nine persons hailing from Melur have been identified with minor symptoms. They are currently under home quarantine. If the symptoms persist, they will be admitted at GRH and samples would be sent for swab tests," Collector said.
The containment measures have also been extended to around 14,500 households with a population of 73,156 in Narimedu, 21,300 households with a population of 80,161 in Anna Nagar and 16,837 households with a population of 75,457 in Thapalthandhi Nagar.
Close to 330 health officials, Anganwadi workers and other field staff have been deployed to monitor the areas.
While two-kilometre radius of main containment and a three-kilometre buffer area has been covered in the rural limit. And one-kilometre radius of the main containment and two-kilometre buffer area has been covered in the urban limit.
Other active cases include the family members, wife and two sons of the deceased COVID - 19 patient from Anna Nagar, a 60-year-old man from Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar and two other men from Narimedu.