The Asian reporter., April 06, 2021, 0, Image 1

The Asian Reporter
Pacific Northwest News q Volume 31 Number 4 q April 5, 2021 q www.asianreporter.com
Indians gather for Holi
celebrations as virus cases surge
COLORFUL CELEBRATION. Indians smeared in color participate in Holi festival celebrations in Gauhati, India, on March 29, 2021. Hindus threw colored powder and sprayed water during massive Holi celebrations
despite many Indian states restricting gatherings to try to contain a coronavirus resurgence rippling across the country. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
By Sheikh Saaliq
The Associated Press
EW DELHI — Hindus threw
colored powder and sprayed water
in massive Holi celebrations
despite many Indian states restricting
gatherings to try to contain a corona-
virus resurgence rippling across the
country.
Holi marks the advent of spring and is
widely celebrated throughout Hindu-
majority India. Most years, millions of
people throw colored powder at each other
in outdoor celebrations. But for the second
consecutive year, people were encouraged
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to stay at home to avoid turning the
festivities into superspreader events amid
the latest virus surge.
India’s confirmed infections have
exceeded 60,000 daily over the past week
from a low of about 10,000 in February.
The health ministry reported 68,020 new
cases on March 29, the sharpest daily rise
since October last year. It took the
nationwide tally to more than 12
million.
Daily deaths rose by 291 and the virus
has so far killed more than 164,000 people
in the country.
The latest surge is centered in the
western state of Maharashtra where
authorities
have
tightened
travel
restrictions and imposed night curfews. It
is considering a strict lockdown.
Cases are also rising in the capital of
New Delhi and the states of Punjab,
Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu,
Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh.
The surge coincides with multi-stage
state elections marked by large gatherings
and roadshows, and the Kumbh Mela, or
pitcher festival, celebrated in northern
Haridwar city, where tens of thousands of
Hindu devotees daily take a holy dip into
the Ganges river.
Health experts worry that unchecked
gatherings can lead to clusters, adding the
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situation can be controlled if vaccination is
opened up for more people and COVID-19
protocols are strictly followed.
India, with a population of more than 1.3
billion, has vaccinated around 60 million
people, of which only 9 million have
received both doses of vaccine so far.
However, more than 60 million doses
manufactured in India have been exported
abroad, prompting widespread criticism
that domestic needs should be catered to
first.
The government said last week that
there would be no immediate increase in
exports. It said vaccines would be given to
everyone over age 45 starting April 1.