IDUKKI: The deadly Covid-19 had so far spared the Muthuvan-dominated tribal population settled in Chinnar wildlife sanctuary (CWS) in Idukki, but not anymore. After the first case of Covid was reported from the Palappetty settlement here on Sunday, officials have strengthened vigil in the area to prevent the spread of the virus to other tribes.
“The first tribal person to contract the virus in the settlement is a 25-year-old pregnant woman, who began to show symptoms on Sunday. She has been admitted to the domiciliary care centre opened by the panchayat authorities in Kanthalloor. Her condition is stable,” said Arun Kumar, a health official working at the care centre.
Chinnar has around 2,000 tribal people, predominantly Muthuvans, settled in 11 settlements inside the sanctuary. While seven of these settlements fall under the Marayur panchayat of Idukki, four are in Kanthalloor panchayat. However, all of them are located deep inside the sanctuary forest area.
With the members of the tribe largely confined to their settlements, officials are trying to track the source of the infection. For most remote settlements like Mangappara, Vellakkal and Thayannankudi, Kovilkadavu is the nearest marketplace, which too is at a distance of 15km. “Ration and other essentials are transported to the settlements by the Forest department staff to help the tribal people avoid contact with outsiders. Besides, the agriculture items cultivated by the community are sold through forest eco shops to ensure their livelihood during lockdown,” Munnar wildlife warden Lakshmi R said. No outsider except public representatives and health officials are allowed to enter the settlement areas.
Health authorities feel the woman might have contracted the virus from her relatives, as she is married off to a nearby settlement in Marayur, where more cases have been reported in the recent past. “However, none of her family members in Palappetty Kudi has tested positive,” Arun Kumar said.
“The tribal houses are mostly small, one room dwellings. There is no scope to isolate people there. So, we will move anyone who tests positive to isolation centres. Food and accommodation in these centres will be free,” Lakshmi added. The Forest department hopes to raise awareness about the disease among tribal communities and enrol them for vaccination drives at their settlement, after getting consent from the district collector.
Besides, the health condition of the tribal people are also being regularly updated with the help of council members, who are tribal representatives, of libraries named ‘Bodhi’ set up in 10 settlements in CWS by the department.