In a rural village in Andhra Pradesh, India, many residents gather to enjoy a festival by engaging in cow dung fights. [Photo by Instagram capture]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] India, which showed a daily decrease in COVID-19 cases last February, has been reporting an enormous number of new cases every day since last month. As a result, the local healthcare system is overwhelmed and pushed to the brink by the influx of patients. However, concerns are rising as some residents remain indifferent to quarantine measures, enjoying activities like cow dung fights without wearing masks.
Major foreign media reported on the 15th (local time) a photo and related article showing two patients lying side by side with oxygen masks on a bed at LNJP, a large hospital in the capital, New Delhi.
This hospital has been designated as a COVID-19 exclusive treatment facility with more than 1,500 beds, but recently faced a shortage of beds due to the surge in confirmed cases. Serious situations continue in other major city hospitals such as Mumbai, where shortages of beds and medical oxygen make it impossible to handle the flood of patients.
India’s daily new confirmed cases, which nearly reached 100,000 last September, had decreased to 8,000 to 9,000 by last February but have shown a tremendous surge since last month.
In New Delhi, with a population of 20 million, about 17,000 new cases are reported daily. In response, New Delhi authorities temporarily imposed a weekend curfew from 10 p.m. on the 16th to 5 a.m. on the 19th. Additionally, a nighttime curfew has been enforced until the end of this month. Accordingly, only medical personnel and others are allowed to go out between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. the next day.
Two COVID-19 patients are being treated on one bed at LNJP Hospital in New Delhi, India. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Meanwhile, experts analyze that the lax quarantine attitude of Indian residents is a major cause of the rapid COVID-19 spread. Large crowds gathering at religious festivals and political rallies, where people neglect preventive measures, have likely accelerated the spread as new variant viruses spread.
In fact, at recent events such as the 'Festival of Colors' Holi and the Hindu festival Kumbh Mela, numerous people reportedly enjoyed the festivities in close proximity without masks. Also, large crowds have been gathering daily at local election campaign venues in states like West Bengal.
Especially, the scene of a cow dung fight festival held in a rural village in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh has once again brought the issue of quarantine negligence to the forefront.
According to foreign media, on the 13th in Kairupala village, Kurnool district, a cow dung fight was held to celebrate Ugadi, the local Hindu New Year festival.
Videos posted on social networking services (SNS) show residents divided into two teams throwing cow dung at each other in close contact. None of the participants wore masks during the festival.
This festival, which included various events such as cow dung fights, lasted for three days. Since many people were in close contact without masks, it is presumed that COVID-19 spread unimpeded during the festival.
In India, in March, a 'double mutant' variant (officially named B.1.617), combining mutations E484Q and L452R, was discovered in the western state of Maharashtra. This variant is known to be much more contagious than previous viruses.
Suresh Kumar, head of the medical team at LNJP Hospital, criticized people who enjoy festivals without following quarantine rules and living carelessly, saying, "The new variant virus that evades detection is increasing the burden."
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