An Aspect of Kumbh Mela Massive Gathering and COVID-19

AbstractPurpose of ReviewKumbh Mela, a religious gathering of Hindus held in India, is the largest massive gathering event in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented healthcare crisis in recent times with effects reverberating in all spheres of human lives. India has registered the second highest number of COVID-19 cases. This paper aims to dwell in the religious and social background ofKumbh Mela massive gathering, as well as the ritualistic practices that could potentially entail public health risks in the current situation. It also aims to identify possible preparatory and interventional measures to evade such risks.Recent FindingsIn recent years, the increase in the number of people attending theKumbh Mela has been phenomenal. Congregants are put up at the holy sites for several days. The sheer number of people assembling at the religious venues poses a great challenge to manage the crowds, to cater to the requirements of basic amenities, and to meet their healthcare needs. Some of the ritualistic practices could heighten the risk for transmission of respiratory pathogens. The COVID-19 pandemic has escalated over the past few months in India. The pandemic is expected to sustain its tempo in India throughout the foreseeable future. Organization of the forthcomingKumbh Mela needs meticulous planning.SummaryKumbh Mela is a Hindu religious gathering at the banks of India ’s rivers, held periodically. It witnesses assembly of huge numbers of people and has the p...
Source: Current Tropical Medicine Reports - Category: Tropical Medicine Source Type: research