Kumbh Mela 2021: 30 Sadhus in Haridwar test positive for COVID-19, hospitalised
Over the last five days, a total of 2167 people were found positive for coronavirus in Haridwar
FollowHaridwar: Over 30 sadhus who are participating in the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar have tested positive for Covid-19. One of the sadhus include Mahant Narendra Giri, the leader of the All India Akhada Parishad, has been admitted to the AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in Rishikesh.
Speaking to ANI, Haridwar Chief Medical Officer Dr SK Jha said, "30 Sadhus have tested positive for Covid-19 so far, in Haridwar. Medical teams are going to akhadas and RT-PCR tests of sadhus are being done continuously. The process will be further quickened from April 17."
"In view of the deteriorating situation due to COVID-19, Kumbh Mela has concluded for us... main 'shahi snan' ('royal bath') is over for us and many from our akhada are showing symptoms of coronavirus," Ravindra Puri, the Niranjani Akhada's Secretary, was quoted by news agency ANI.
All of this happened as a Thursday night report from ANI confirmed that 2,167 people from the Kumbh area had tested positive for the coronavirus in the first five days - April 10 to 15.
The next significant Kumbh day is April 27.
The decision to go ahead with the Haridwar mega Kumbh - even as a deadly new Covid wave sweeps the country - has proven to be a controversial one for the state and central governments, with medical experts and opposition leaders warning of the event becoming a 'super-spreader'.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat had said earlier that there is no comparison between the event held at Nizamuddin Markaz in Delhi last year and Kumbh in Haridwar as the former was held in a closed space while the latter is being held in a vast open area.
In the wake of the rising cases of coronavirus among the participants, the Niranjani Akhada – the second largest of more than 13 religious groups at the Kumbh mela indicated that it will end participation on Saturday, nearly two weeks before the scheduled date.
With a surge in Covid cases in Uttarakhand which recorded its highest single-day spike in infections on Thursday, the state government issued a revised SOP, making it mandatory for cinema halls, restaurants, bars and gyms to run at half their capacity. SOPs issued by the Centre and the state government for Kumbh Mela in January and February this year will remain in effect.
