Tirupati, Jun 12 (IANS): The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) on Friday shut down Sri Govindaraja Swamy Temple in Tirupati for two days after an employee tested positive for Covid-19.

TTD officials said a sanitary inspector, who had taken ill on Wednesday, tested positive on Friday. This development forced the authorities to close down the temple for devotees.

The temple would be re-opened after disinfection operations in the premises, it said.

The sanitary inspector's two family members along with eight TTD employees who came in contact with him were sent to quarantine.

Officials said the employee took ill on Wednesday and was admitted to TTD Central Hospital. His swab samples were sent for testing on Thursday. The test report, which came on Friday, showed him to be Covid-19 positive. He has been shifted to designated hospital for Covid-19 patients.

Govindaraja Swamy Temple is one of the 10 temples which come under TTD, the prominent being Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala.

All the temples located in Tirupati, Tirumala and surroundings were re-opened on June 8 after 80 days.

This is the first case of a TTD employee testing positive for Covid-19. The temple body is implementing strict safety measures at Tirumala shrine to prevent spread of the dreaded virus.