India's Daily COVID-19 Cases Reach 50,000... Hindu Festival Also Approaching

Daily COVID-19 Cases Increase from 10,000 to 50,000 Within a Month

The spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in India, which had subsided for a while, is now intensifying alarmingly. The photo shows Hindu devotees in India gathering for a festival in February despite the COVID-19 outbreak.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] The spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in India, which had subsided for a while, is intensifying alarmingly again. With the daily number of confirmed cases rising from the 10,000s to the 60,000s within a month, authorities are on high alert as the traditional Hindu festival period approaches.

According to the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the 26th, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in India reached 11,846,652, an increase of 59,118 from the previous day. This is the highest figure in five months since October 18 last year, when 61,871 cases were reported. Considering that the number of new cases was 10,584 on the 23rd of last month, the figure has nearly sextupled to about 60,000 in just one month.

Experts analyze that the second wave of the pandemic has officially begun in India since the first peak in September last year. The number of new cases in India surged to nearly 100,000 in September last year but had stabilized after the end of the year.

Recently, the western state of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, has seen an explosive increase in infections. On this day, Maharashtra's cumulative confirmed cases reached 35,952, already surpassing the highest record during the first peak last year. New cases in major cities such as Mumbai and Pune have been pouring out daily, with each reporting 5,000 to 6,000 new cases.

Some experts point out that the recent surge in cases may be due to the spread of highly infectious variant viruses amid lax preventive measures by Indian residents. On the 24th, the Ministry of Health announced that a 'double variant' combining the E484Q and L452R mutations was detected in samples collected from Maharashtra.

Authorities are on high alert. They are particularly concerned about the possibility of a significant virus spread during the upcoming 'Festival of Colors,' Holi, scheduled for the 28th and 29th. During Holi, a spring festival of Hinduism, countless Indians flood the streets, indiscriminately throwing colored powders or water balloons at strangers and painting colors on others' bodies. In this process, 'social distancing' is completely ignored. Consequently, Delhi and other states have banned public events during Holi, and some local governments have reintroduced curfews and lockdown measures.

The number of people who have received the first dose of the vaccine in India is 55.5 million cumulatively. The Indian government plans to complete vaccinations for 300 million people by August. Since January 16, India has been vaccinating healthcare workers and military personnel, and is currently vaccinating those aged 60 and above, as well as those aged 45 and above with chronic diseases. Starting next month on the 1st, the vaccination target will be expanded to those aged 45 and above.

The Indian government has expressed its intention to further expand the vaccination target soon. On this day, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said at an online event hosted by the economic newspaper The Economic Times, "The government plans to broaden the vaccine coverage to include other age groups in the near future." Currently, local governments across India are requesting the federal government to expand vaccinations to all adults as COVID-19 spreads rapidly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.