COVID-19 scare: Delhi's Kalkaji temple initiates special drive for Navratri celebrations

As Navratri is around the corner, the famous Kalkaji Temple in Delhi has embarked upon a drive to counter the spread of Coronavirus. During the auspicious nine-day of Navratri beginning from March 25, the temple authorities will distribute masks and install sanitizers at strategic locations.

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Every year lakhs of devotees throng the temple during the nine-day Navratri rituals, hence as a preventive measure temple authorities have taken this step to distribute masks to all the devotees and also to install sanitizers at strategic locations for people to maintain hygiene at the temple premises.

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"We are making arrangements that masks are distributed to devotees as part of preventive measures. We request people to follow the steps that have been suggested by the health ministry," Pt Mahant Surendranath Avdhoot told ANI.

Authority requests devotees to visit the temple in small numbers

Instructions are passed on to the temple workers to install sanitizer dispensers and provide hand wash facilities at the temple. The temple authorities have also urged the devotees to visit the premises in small numbers.

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"We are requesting them to not build up crowds during the period. People should be aware and take precautions to avoid spreading the pandemic," said a temple worker.

The spread of COVID-19 in the country

The number of Coronavirus cases in the country has risen to 107 including the foreign nationals, as per the latest information by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In the wake of spurt in cases of Coronavirus across the country, the Central Government on Saturday decided to treat the deadly virus as a "notified disaster". 

As per the World Health Organisation, as of 14 March, at least 5393 people have died and 142, 539 people have tested positive for the virus globally. The WHO has declared COVID-19 a pandemic and Europe as its new epicenter with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China.

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(With inputs from ANI)