No entry for NRIs, foreigners into Tirupati for coronavirus scare; Andhra Pradesh focuses on Italy returnees

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is asking the NRI devotees and foreigners not to visit the hill shrine for 28 days from the day they land in India.

TTD, the temple board that manages the most popular and richest Hindu temple in the world, has earlier requested the domestic devotees to reschedule their pilgrimage if they are suffering from cough, cold or fever.

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Andhra Pradesh, where Tirupati is located, is the only south Indian state with no recorded case of positive COVID-19 till now.

“Tirumala is always abuzz with pilgrim activity and the chances of coronavirus spreading here are more. So, keeping in view the health safety of lakhs of pilgrims, TTD has made an appeal to devotees who are coming from other countries to restrain themselves from visiting Tirumala for four weeks,” a TTD official said.

Special task force teams with thermal guns and medical equipment are deployed at Alipiri and Srivari Mettu footpath routes to the temple, to detect if any pilgrim has symptoms of fever, cough and cold.

Italy returned on strict isolation

Meanwhile, the government of Andhra Pradesh is focusing its COVID-19 preventive measures on the returnees from abroad, especially Italy.

75 Andhra Pradesh residents, who returned from Italy in four batches since February 29, are directed to be in home isolation for 14 days. After China, the European nation is the most affected by COVID-19 with over 630 deaths. The entire country is on lockdown.

“These Italy returned should not step out of their room in these two weeks. They should not interact with family members or visitors. If only one bathroom is available, then they should use it last and importantly the bathroom should be sanitised with one per cent Sodium Hypochlorite solution or Lysol (like disinfectants). Their soaps, towels should be avoided by others,” said K S Jawahar Reddy, special chief secretary, health and family welfare, government of Andhra Pradesh.

“In case they need medical attention, they can call 104 and if required, they should come to the hospital in the government operated 108 ambulance service only,” the official said.

According to a health bulletin on Wednesday morning, AP has recorded 661 persons with travel history to coronavirus affected nations and 499 of them are under observation. Officials are tracing the other 162 persons.

Out of the 45 samples tested, 36 tested negative and results awaited of nine.