MULUGU: As the third wave of Covid-19 grips the State, health officials of Mulugu district are faced with the daunting task of monitoring the crowds who are slowly descending on Medaram village ahead of the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara. While Asia’s largest tribal festival is slated for February 16-19, several pilgrims are making an early trip to the village fearing that there would be Covid curbs later on.
Covid protocol has gone for a toss as devotees gather in congested and long queues to offer prayers to the Sammakka-Saralamma deities. The virus has already spread rapidly in the Agency areas of Mulugu district. “Thousands are coming to Medaram on a daily basis since the last few days and we are finding it tough to ensure physical distancing,” says a temple official. “If the same situation continues during the jatara time, it would lead to a massive spike of Covid-19 cases in the State,” says another. Sanitation workers have already been deployed at Medaram but 10 of them tested positive on Thursday. Meanwhile, several medical and health staffers, who are discharging their duties in a tiny village, are also infected, said officials.
50 devotees have symptoms
When Express contacted the Mulugu District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO), Dr Allam Appaiah, he said that teams conducting a fever survey found that 50 devotees were sick with Covid-like symptoms in Medaram. He said that 10 teams are working around the clock at Medaram and urged devotees to be socially responsible to prevent the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, the positive sanitation workers have been shifted to a temporary medical camp and in Medaram, said Appaiah.