After India’s religious festival Kumbh, over 1000 test positive for Covid-19

On Wednesday, officials said that hundreds of people have tested positive for coronavirus in India after the biggest festival as huge crowd of people was seen without masks.

Officials further said that the virus was detected in more than 1000 people in just 48 hours in Haridwar where the Kumbh Mela was held.

The experts claim that the new wave of coronavirus is because of the massive religious events, packed political rallies in poll-bound states and crowded public places.

On Wednesday, the government also postponed the high school exams for 15 to 18-year-olds which were to be held in May-June.

Pilgrims have gathered in huge numbers to take part in holy celebration despite rising virus cases.

“Our faith is the biggest thing for us. It is because of that strong belief that so many people have come here to take a dip in Ganga,” Siddharth Chakrapani, a member of one of the Kumbh Mela organising committees said.

“They believe that Maa (mother) Ganga will save them from this pandemic.”

50,000 samples were taken in Haridwar and 408 tested positive for the virus on Monday and 594 on Tuesday, the Uttarakhand state government said.

On Wednesday, Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh, tweeted that he had tested positive for Covid-19.

This week India overtook Brazil to become the second-highest state with number of Covid-19 cases in the world.

On Wednesday, India recorded more than 184,000 infections in the past 24 hours.

India’s daily death toll passed 1,000 for the first time since mid-October.

Local authorities have imposed night curfews and clamped down on movement and activities.

Maharashtra state government has imposed tougher lockdown measures, migrant workers at a train station said they were leaving for their homes in other states after the tighter restrictions were announced.

“Since I don’t have any work, I am not able to pay my rent,” migrant worker Imraan Khan said.