Tablighi Jamaat, Tirupati Tirumala Temple & Other Religious Places That Turned Super-Spreaders

Even since the lockdown was lifted in India, religious places were thrown open to the public, albeit with social distancing norms in place. The number of cases certainly spiked up and certain places emerged as hotspots, recording a spike in coronavirus cases.

After the Tablighi Jamaat incident which turned Delhi into a hotspot, there have been incidents that turned religious places into hotspots. Below are a few:

743 Staff Members Of Tirumala Tirupati Temple Test Positive For COVID-19

The opening of Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh opened floodgates for coronavirus infections.

As many as 743 employees of the Tirupati Temple have tested positive for COVID-10 while 402 individuals have recovered. Three employees have succumbed to the infection.

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However, despite the signs of a massive outbreak, the temple authorities have no plan to stop darshans.

Many on Twitter expressed outrage as to why a temple is still open after hundreds of people have tested positive and there is a high possibility of spreading the infection. For some, it quickly became a Hindu-Muslim issue.

231 cases linked to church that woman 'super spreader' is from in South Korea

A "crazy auntie" super spreader and a secretive church were at the centre of the spread of the coronavirus in South Korea, when it had only 433 cases back in February.

So far, 231 patients have been linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the south-eastern city of Daegu, but health officials warned that number could rise further as more than 1,200 church followers are displaying flu-like symptoms, reported Strait Times.

Known as Patient No. 31, the church member tested positive for the virus on Feb 18, after which infection figures in Daegu skyrocketed and the authorities started labelling her as a "super spreader".

Mass pilgrimage at Malaysian mosque became coronavirus hotspot

The Muslim gathering held in February at a sprawling mosque complex on the outskirts of Malaysia¡¯s capital Kuala Lumpur has emerged as a source of hundreds of new coronavirus infections spanning Southeast Asia.

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The event was attended by 16,000 people, including 1,500 foreigners.

Punjab priest a COVID-19 super-spreader

Punjab¡¯s first confirmed coronavirus fatality, 70-year-old Banga resident Baldev Singh, who took ill after a visit to Italy and Germany, was touted state's super-spreader.

Back in March, out of the 33 coronavirus patients in Punjab, 23 are directly or indirectly related to Baldev Singh, who died on 18 March, and his two fellow travellers.

After returning from abroad in the first week of March, Baldev Singh and the duo defied the authorities¡¯ self-quarantine advisory and socialised heavily within and outside their villages.