As feared by many, the Kumbh mela being held in Haridwar, Uttar Pradesh is proving to the hotspot for covid 19 infections. The shahi snan – royal bath – had at least 28 lakh devotees taking a dip in the Ganga by the Monday evening.
Of these mere 18,169 devotees were tested and 102 were found positive, an Indian Express report said Tuesday morning. The daily also quoted Mela’s Covid in-charge Dr Avinash Khanna as saying, “Thermal screening and rapid antigen tests were done at the state borders, railway stations and ghat areas. The ghats were reserved for the akharas, and so tests and screening were not done. They will be done again when the snan of akharas will end.”
Many visitors alleged that basic coronavirus guidelines for precaution, like thermal screening, strict adherence to use of mask and social distancing were not being followed, neither imposed strictly. Cops deployed on duty near the meal area claimed they were busy managing the crowd, therefore avoided the screenings near the ghats.
While the first royal bath was held on March 11 and had more than 32 lakh attendance, the next shahi snan, the third one, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14.