Twenty people have tested positive for Covid-19 after participating in a temple festival in Chennai’s Kilpauk area, The Hindu reported on Thursday. One patient has died, according to The Indian Express.

The patients were moved to a hospital as the authorities feared that home quarantine could increase the risk of transmission of infection.

Over 300 residents took part in the event which was organised in Kilpauk’s Varadhammal Garden Street earlier this month.

Officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation became vigilant after an organiser of the event was found to have contracted the infection. After that, 320 samples were taken for Covid-19 tests.

“We immediately began tracing and testing all the people who took part in the function and their contacts,” Regional Deputy Commissioner Sharanya Ari told The Hindu. “Testing of the same group would be done again in two or three days to detect any persons getting infected after a delay.”

The official added that many people in the area, include those who tested positive for Covid-19, were not vaccinated.

The Greater Chennai Corporation asked the organisers of the temple festival for an explanation after the emergence of the cluster of infections, The Indian Express reported. The municipal corporation said that strict action will be taken against those who flouted Covid-related safety norms.

Chennai registered 243 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, taking its tally of infections since the outbreak of the pandemic in January last year to 5,40,300. Chennai’s tally was the highest among all the districts in Tamil Nadu.

Overall, the state recorded 1,964 new cases, pushing its tally to 25,81,094, PTI reported. Tamil Nadu’s toll rose by 28 to 34,395.