SABARIMALA: The failure of authorities to set up a laboratory for Covid test by using RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction), RT-LAMP (Reverse Transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification) and TrueNat method at Nilakkal pilgrim base camp affected the flow to pilgrims to Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala on the first day of the Makaravilakku season on Thursday.
Though the Kerala High Court had allowed 5,000 pilgrims daily for darshan, the number of pilgrims recorded at the police control room at Nilakkal on Thursday was 3,225, mainly due to lack of Covid test certificate.
Procedural delays and failure of authorities to give clearances affected the setting up of the Covid test laboratory at Nilakkal. However, devaswom authorities said that Covid test laboratory at Nilakkal would start functioning in a day or two. Meanwhile, 40 fake Covid test certificates were seized from pilgrims by the police at the control room at Nilakkal on the day. By taking advantage of lack of Covid test facilities at Nilakkal, unauthorised laboratories were issuing fake certificates by levying exorbitant rates from pilgrims.
Kalabhabhishekam, padi pooja performed Kalabhabhishekam and padi pooja were performed at Lord Ayyappa temple on the first day of the Makaravilakku season on Thursday. Udayasthamana pooja and ashtabhishekam were the other rituals performed at the temple.
Recoveries surpass new Covid cases
T’Puram: Recoveries surpassed new Covid-19 cases in the state with 5,376 patients recovering from the disease and 5,215 testing positive on Thursday. Sixty-seven health workers are among the infected, the highest in the month. A total of 30 deaths were confirmed as due to the disease on the day. This is for the eighth time in the month that deaths touched the 30-mark in the daily tally. Of the new cases, 4,621 were contact cases, 405 with unknown sources of infection and 122 returnees. The daily test positivity rate stands at 8.95%, lowest since December 18. A total of 58,283 samples were processed on the day.