In the northern Indian city of Prayagraj, tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims gathered for the Magh Mela, the first event of the Makar Sankranti festival, despite a huge spike in the number of Covid-19 cases.
During the Makar Sankranti festival, bathing in the Ganges river is believed to cleanse them from sins.
After a similar festival last year, the second deadly Covid-19 wave was triggered in the country.
However, Uttar Pradesh state officials, where the city is located, did not want to restrict this year’s event.
The state’s insistence on holding the Magh Mela festival has caused experts to worry about the public health implications.
In today’s footage, the crowds on the riverbanks pray with little attention to social distancing. Indian news channel ABP also reported that more than 70 percent of people are unmasked.
A large tent city was established on the river bank to accommodate the pilgrims who came a few days ago, and more than 5 thousand police officers were deployed.
Uttar Pradesh State Governor Yogi Adityanath has asked everyone to comply with all Covid-19 precautions taken during the Magh Mela.
However, infections were reported in the area before the festival even started.
Senior police officer Rajeev Narayan Mishra told the BBC yesterday that at least 38 police officers on duty had tested positive and feared the festival could turn into a site of infection in the coming days.
In April last year, millions of pilgrims held the Kumbh Mela festival in the Himalayan town of Haridwar in the neighboring state of Uttarakhand, despite serious shortages of oxygen and hospital beds in other cities.
Many of the pilgrims from all over the country contracted the coronavirus after returning home, and epidemiologists said the festival had greatly affected the spread.
This year, it is forbidden to enter the river during the festival in Uttarakhand.
in the middle of the third wave
India is currently experiencing the third wave of the pandemic, which is thought to be caused by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
The country has reached its highest number of cases since the end of May, mainly due to the increase in major cities such as the capital Delhi and financial center Mumbai. More than 247,417 new infections were reported yesterday.
There has been a sharp increase in daily infections in Uttar Pradesh, with Covid-19 cases in Prayagraj increasing 10-fold, from 92 to 1,267 since last week.
Officials in the state have announced several measures, including a nighttime curfew, to curb infections.
But on Thursday, the crowds traveling to attend the festival stood out.
To participate in the festival, a positive test result and vaccination certificate obtained two days before arrival is required.
However, experts think that many people may not be tested in the next few days and the numbers may increase.