With the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar set to attract lakhs of pilgrims next month, the Union Health Ministry on Sunday red-flagged the Kumbh’s potential as a superspreader event to trigger an upsurge in the Covid-19 cases as every day 10-20 pilgrims and an equal number of locals are being found positive even now.
"Currently more than 12 states have shown a surge in Covid-19 cases during the past few weeks. Pilgrims expected to visit Haridwar could also be from such states. It has been noted that there is a potential of an upsurge in cases in the local population after the auspicious Shahi Snan days during the Kumbh Mela,” the Union Health Ministry said in a statement quoting a letter that Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote to the Uttarakhand government.
The communication from the Health Ministry is on the basis of a report submitted by a high level team that visited the hill state on March 16-17 for a review of the preparations. The team was led by the director of National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi.
As per its report, 10-20 pilgrims and 10-20 locals are being reported positive for Covid-19 every day. Such a high positivity rate has the potential to rapidly turn to an upsurge in cases, given the expected large footfall during Kumbh.
The world’s largest mass gathering at one place, Kumbh Mela is celebrated four times in every 12 years. According to an official assessment, nearly 10 lakh people visit Kumbh daily on a regular day and the number shoots up to 50 lakh in auspicious days.
Four such auspicious dates for Shahi Snans when lakhs and lakhs of people will assemble at the Har Ki Pauri ghat to take a holy dip in the Ganga are April 12, 14, 21 and 27.
Such a huge mass gathering in the middle of a second wave of Covid-19 has emerged as a big worry. To compound the complications while the number of people visiting Haridwar are expected to swell in April, the Covid-19 testing arrangements are grossly inadequate.
Uttarakhand administration is conducting 50,000 rapid antigen tests and 5,000 RT-PCR tests at Haridwar daily. This, Bhushan pointed out, was not enough to effectively offset the huge number of expected pilgrim footfalls.
The ministry has advised the state to significantly increase the share of RT-PCR tests besides setting up systems for generating early warning signals in areas with susceptible populations and enhancing tests in potential high transmission areas.
Meanwhile, continuing with the high growth curve, India reported 43,846 new Covid-19 cases and 197 deaths on Sunday with Maharashtra topping the list in both charts. The total number of active cases crossed three lakhs.