Visakhapatnam: Temples no exception to coronavirus

Visakhapatnam: So far, a few working at Visakhapatnam Metropolitian Region Development Authority, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, revenue, police and medical fraternity have been tested positive for coronavirus.

Now, the virus started spreading its tentacles to the Endowments Department as four staff members working at Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi (SKML) temple tested positive for coronavirus.

This apart, a priest at Ambika Bagh temple, affiliated to SKML, also tested positive on the same day. An assistant executive officer, a drum player and two cleaners at SKML were sent to Covid hospital for treatment.

The district administration is now tracing the primary and secondary contacts of the patients.

With the possibility of hundreds of devotees arriving at the temple, increased attention is being paid at the premises in order to curb the spread of infection. Like SKML, there are many temples in the city that draw people's movement daily and hence need to conduct tests for them as well.

Executive Officer of SKML S Jyothi Madhavi appealed to the district administration to conduct Covid tests for the temple staff. The positive cases came to light after the swab tests were taken. "The entire temple has been sanitised as soon as we came to know about the Covid positive cases of the staff. The temple will remain closed on Sunday and Monday. Based on the instructions received from the District Collector V Vinay Chand, further date will be decided to reopen the temple for the devotees," said the EO of SKML.

Keeping the number of positive cases registered at SKML in view, district authorities directed the officials concerned to conduct swab tests for those working at Simhachalam Devasthanam also. About 120 temple staff of the Devasthanam availed of the facility. Based on the reports of tests, a decision will be taken by the district administration whether to keep the temple open for devotees or not.