Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) would soon open a special Covid care centre at Nilachal Bhakta Niwas on the Grand Road here to treat Srimandir servitors who have been tested positive for novel coronavirus.
“The number of Covid-19 positive cases among Srimandir servitors is rising day-by-day. The shrine administration has decided to open a Covid care centre at Nilachal Bhakta Niwas to treat servitors and their family members who have been tested positive for the deadly virus,” said SJTA administrator (development) Ajay Kumar Jena.
It is worth mentioning here that Srimandir, the abode of Lord Jagannath, has been shut for devotees since March 20 this year to check the spread of novel coronavirus. The state government has recently extended the temple shutdown till September 30.
However, Srimandir servitors have been performing all the routine and special rituals of the presiding deities during the shutdown, sources said.
Despite the ban on devotees’ entry into Srimandir, over a hundred servitors have been tested positive for Covid-19 in the last few weeks. The temple administration has made all arrangements at a hotel here for the treatment of Covid-19 positive servitors. “Around 40 servitors and their family members are now being treated at the hotel. At least 30 servitors were earlier released from the hotel after their recovery from the Covid-19 infections. A few servitors are in home isolation,” Jena said.