E-Paper
Mass gatherings became superspreader events during Covid phase, finds study
The WHO defines a mass gathering as any public event which includes an assembly of people who have the potential to spread the infection.
VARANASI Several mass gatherings during the Covid pandemic phase became superspreader events, causing more people to contract the disease in India, according to a study conducted by a group of 15 scientists from seven institutions, including the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The team of scientists reached this conclusion after studying the spread of the Alpha variant in India.
“While studying the temporal and spatial spread of the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) in India, a team of 15 scientists from seven institutions across the world found an unusual spike in Covid cases in Punjab. The study focussed on limited founder events and rapid starlike expansion of the disease,” said Professor Gyaneshwer Chaubey, department of Zoology at BHU. He added that the timeline of the spread of the disease overlapped with the protest against farm bills, which drew a large number of people.
In December 2020, the Alpha variant of the SARS-CoV-2, designated as a variant of concern (VOC) by the WHO, was discovered in the south eastern part of the United Kingdom (UK). Slowly, the variant spread across India, with many cases, particularly in North India, said Professor Chaubey. The team has analysed the genomic sequences of 3,085 Alpha variant cases from India. The result of this study has been published in scientific journal ‘MDPI-COVID’, he added.
Professor Chaubey, who led the study, added, “The surge in cases in Punjab does not follow the natural trend in India. It was more rapid and associated with a few founder events. Also, the samples from Punjab are largely restricted to a few clusters rather than independent lineages. Such founder events were usually favoured over superspreader events. Additional movement and farmers’ stir increased the infection 5-10 times faster than normal.”
In a similar vein, Jahnavi Parasar, the study’s first author, said, “Multiple entries of Alpha variant was observed with its major presence in Northern India.” According to the study, the spread of the Alpha variant in India was associated with three different timelines with a significant presence of most branches in Delhi, Chandigarh, and Punjab.
“In this study, we provide direct evidence on the question of how large social gatherings spread Covid-19,” said Dr Rakesh Tamang, the assistant professor at Calcutta University. Similarly, Dr Prashanth Suravajhala, the associated professor at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Kerala, said, “Our findings are informative to understand the variant spread and more risk of infection to the people associated with large gatherings.”
Notably, the WHO defines a mass gathering as any public event which includes an assembly of people who have the potential to spread the infection. In the past too, mass gatherings have coincided with the spread of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) in 2009, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreaks in 2013.
