The Amritapuri ashram in Kerala’s Ernakulam district has announced that due to health protocols in place due to the spread of coronavirus in the country, visitors will not be allowed in the ashram. Mata Amritanandamayi, also known as the hugging saint, normally greets and embraces hundreds of followers and visitors at the ashram everyday.
A notice put up on the ashram’s website says that the current ban applies to both Indian and foreign nationals.
“We are sorry to inform you that due to the extremely heightened restrictions specified to the Mata Amritanandamayi Math as preventative measures by the Health Department — including mandatory quarantines, daily health checks, and other protocols — currently, the Ashram cannot allow anyone to enter Amritapuri Ashram. This includes Indian nationals as well as foreign-passport-holders (including OCI-holders). This includes both day visits and overnight stays. This policy is irrespective of any amount of time the individual may have been within the nation of India
With prayers and grace, this situation will change. Until then, please feel free to check for updates,” says the notice.
India has confirmed 31 cases of COVID-19. The Union government has asked state governments to avoid mass gatherings as much as possible. An advisory by the government says that if mass gatherings were to happen, then the people attending need to be made aware of the precautions to be taken.
According to a latest advisory, all international passengers irrespective of their nationality are mandated to undergo a universal medical screening.
Adequate screening measures have been put in place and nine more airports have been added to the existing 21, bringing the total number to 30 airports where screening of passengers is being carried out.
A day-long national-level training programme on COVID-19 has also been organised by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The 30 other positive cases include a 45-year-old man from Delhi's Mayur Vihar and six of his relatives from Agra whom he had recently visited. Another is a Paytm employee who works in Gurgaon and lives in west Delhi. They are all being treated at the Safdarjung hospital.
A middle-aged man from Ghaziabad, who tested positive for the virus, is being treated at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in the national capital. A 24-year-old man from Hyderabad, who has also tested positive for coronavirus, has been isolated.
Besides, 16 members of a tourist group from Italy and their Indian guide have been found infected by the virus.
While one Italian man and his wife are being treated at Jaipur's SMS hospital, 14 members of the group and their Indian guide, who were quarantined at the ITBP camp in Chhawla, have been admitted to the Medanta hospital in Gurgaon.
The total figure of positive cases includes the first three reported from Kerala last month. All the three persons have been discharged following recovery.
(With inputs from PTI)