Superspreader virus fears for massive India religious gathering

NEW DELHI - A huge religious gathering in northern India could fuel a surge in COVID-19 cases, the government warned Sunday as it called for an increase in testing and other health protocols.

The annual Kumbh Mela festival usually attracts millions of devout Hindus over three months, but was shortened to 30 days as India -- the world's third-most infected nation with nearly 11.6 million coronavirus cases -- grapples with the pandemic.

Authorities had already warned about a recent uptick in infections nationally, with some states imposing restrictions on movement and activities.

Virus fears have not stopped large crowds of pilgrims -- mostly maskless and with no social distancing -- from attending the gathering, with more than three million pilgrims taking part one day earlier this month.

Up to 40 pilgrims and locals were testing positive every day at the festival in Haridwar in Uttarakhand state, the health ministry said.

"This positivity rate has the potential to rapidly turning to an upsurge in cases, given the expected large footfall during Kumbh," it added.

More than 12 Indian states have shown a jump in Covid-19 cases in the past few weeks, the ministry said, warning that some pilgrims could be from these badly affected regions.

Some 50,000 rapid antigen tests and 5,000 RT-PCR tests are being carried out every day at the festival. But the ministry said more RT-PCR tests needed to be done -- particularly in areas where high transmission appears likely.

Crowd sizes are expected to swell during three upcoming holy bathing days.

The government also called on Uttarakhand state authorities to ensure "strict adherence to Covid-appropriate behavior".

There were 43,846 fresh cases reported in the past 24 hours, the health ministry said Sunday, the highest single-day rise this year.

Infections fell to below 9,000 new cases a day in early February, from a peak of almost 100,000 in September.

Agence France-Presse

Millions in India gather for world's largest religious event

ALLAHABAD, India - The largest religious gathering anywhere on earth gets under way Tuesday, with tens of millions of Hindu pilgrims congregating in India to bathe in sacred rivers for the Kumbh Mela.

Organizers are expecting the enormous spiritual festival in Allahabad to attract more than 100 million devotees over the next 48 days, with seas of pilgrims camped by the riverside.

The ancient city in northern Uttar Pradesh state rises alongside the banks of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers. 

The confluence of the three -- known as Sangam -- is considered especially holy and Hindus believe bathing there during the Kumbh helps cleanse sins and brings salvation.

"This pilgrimage gives me peace of mind and an opportunity to reflect on my life," said Sangeeta Gangotri, a pilgrim who traveled 650 kilometers (403 miles) from Nagpur in western Maharashtra state to Allahabad.

The riverbank has transformed into a riot of noise and color. 

Naked, dread-locked holy men smeared in ash and sadhus clad in saffron robes wander the crowds, offering blessings to pilgrims who have traveled from every corner of India for the ritual dip.

"All the Gods descend on this sacred place during this period. This is the most auspicious event for any human being," said Chandhans Pandey, a 60-year-old devotee.

"I have been planning to attend (for) many years."

The last major gathering in Allahabad in 2013 drew 120 million devotees, organizers said -- with 30 million plunging into the holy waters on a single auspicious day.

Nearly 30,000 police have been deployed to oversee crowds for the huge undertaking, and prevent stampedes that have marred previous gatherings.

A tent city with restaurants, roads and marketplaces has sprung up along the river, with pilgrims camped out across a sprawling 45-square kilometer zone specially earmarked for the Kumbh.

"More people are drawn to the Kumbh now," Ganeshanand Bharamachari, a 78-year-old pilgrim from nearby Varanasi and a Kumbh veteran, told AFP.

"People, mostly from cities, are becoming increasingly religious because the western life they were living has not led them anywhere."

The Uttar Pradesh state government, led by a firebrand Hindu priest, has heavily promoted this year's Kumbh, which comes as India prepares for a general election in April and May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is in power in Uttar Pradesh, visited Allahabad in December to inaugurate a high-tech command center to manage the Kumbh.

The historic city was even renamed Prayagraj in October by the state's conservative government, stripping its centuries-old Muslim moniker and replacing it with an ancient Hindu title.

But the city is still widely known as Allahabad, the name given by Islamic rulers that reigned over India hundreds of years ago.

The Mela, which runs until March 4, was recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2017. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com