New Delhi: The ordeal of Covid-19 test and quarantine awaits thousands of devotees who are returning home after attending the Maha Kumbh at Haridwar. As India grapples with a devastating second wave of the coronavirus and States imposing lockdown, several States and UTs, including Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat, have made Covid-19 test mandatory for Kumbh returnees. Some States are also keeping the returnees in mandatory quarantine.
Thousands of Kumbh visitors and hundreds of “sadhus” who attended Kumbh Mela in Haridwar have tested positive for the coronavirus disease. On Saturday alone, 175 “sadhus” who attended Kumbh Mela have been found infected from coronavirus.
Gujarat on Saturday declared that all devotees returning to the State from Kumbh Mela will have to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR test before they are allowed to enter their respective cities and villages.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said those found infected will be isolated for 14 days.
Maharashtra Minister Anil Parab has announced those coming into the State from Kumbh Mela will be quarantined. Nasik district administration is also taking necessary steps for quarantining those coming from Kumbh.
Earlier, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) mayor Kishori Pednekar claimed on Saturday that the devotees returning from the Kumbh Mela will distribute coronavirus like “Prasad” and said they should be quarantined “at their own cost” on their arrival.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has issued order to put those returning from Kumbh in quarantine or self-isolation.
“District administrations should collect information about those returning to the state after taking part in the Kumbh and ensure that they “self-isolate or are quarantined”, said an order issued by Madhya Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajesh Rajora. MP has reported 11,269 new Covid-19 cases (21.4 per cent positivity rate), 6,497 recoveries, and 66 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Karnataka had on Thursday made RT-PCR Test mandatory for the people returning to the State after taking part in the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar. Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar urged those returning from the mela to stay in home quarantine and get themselves tested. The Madhya Pradesh Government has also planned to quarantine kumbh returnees to check Covid-19.
According to Haridwar Chief Medical Officer Dr SK Jha, 229 “sadhus” who attended Kumbh mela in Haridwar tested positive for the coronavirus disease including Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad president Mahant Narendra Giri, who is admitted at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh.
Mahamandaleshwar of Maha Nirvani Akhara from Madhya Pradesh, Swami Kapil Dev, who was under treatment for Covid-19 at a private hospital here, died on April 13. On Saturday, 175 “sadhus” who attended Kumbh Mela have found infected from coronavirus.
It is estimated that over 2,000 people had tested positive for Covid-19 in the Haridwar Kumbh Mela area from April 10 to 16 confirming fears that one of the world’s largest religious gatherings may contribute further to the rapid rise in coronavirus cases. But there are fears that the numbers could be even higher, and that many of those who have returned home could have taken the disease with them across the country.
A majority of the 48.51 lakh people who took part in the last two royal baths (shahi snan) held on the occasion of Somwati Amavasya on April 12 and Mesh Sankranti on April 14 were seen openly violating Covid-19 norms like wearing of face masks and social distancing. The Health Ministry SOP prescribes that all the visitors to Kumbh must produce a health certificate issued by a competent authority, which is a mandatory requirement for entering the Kumbh Mela area.
It said the pilgrims are required to mandatorily produce a Negative RT-PCR Test report for Covid-19, not older than 72 hours prior to the date of visit, at the time of entry to the mela.
(First Published in www.dailypioneer.com)