Haridwar district administration bans devotees from taking holy dip on Makar Sakranti amid COVID surge

The order issued by the Haridwar district administration further stated that the prospect of a third wave of COVID-19 is looming big, and the number of COVID-19 patients has increased.

The Haridwar district government has put a blanket prohibition on worshippers taking a holy bath in the river on the festival of Makar Sankranti 2022 on January 14 due to an increase in COVID-19 and Omicron illnesses. Entry to the 'Har ki Pauri' region has also been limited by the authorities.  The order issued by the Haridwar district administration further stated that the prospect of a third wave of COVID-19 is looming big, and the number of COVID-19 patients has increased.

Given the Omicron and COVID-19 instances across the country, limitations have been enforced on the occasion of Makar Sankranti 2022 in Haridwar. On Makar Sankranti Parv 2022, the holy snan will be closed to worshipers on January 14, 2022. It further stated that no tourists or devotees from other states would be permitted to enter and that admission to the 'Har ki Pauri' for citizens and devotees would be prohibited.

Meanwhile, the district administration has imposed a night curfew in public locations from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and a complete prohibition on religious gatherings. The order said that if anybody is caught breaking COVID-19 standards, they will face legal punishment under the Epidemic Disease Act of 1897. Meanwhile, India reported 1,68,063 new coronavirus infections and 4,461 cases of the Omicron strain on Tuesday. The central government has asked states and union territories to be cautious and limit the spread of COVID-19 and Omicron inside their domains.

According to the government, India's hospitalisation rate in the third Covid wave would be 5-10%. Nonetheless, the situation is "dynamic and changeable, and the need for hospital treatment may change rapidly." According to official statistics, the hospitalisation rate during the second wave was in the 20-30% range.