E-Paper
Why Pune district needs to be on Covid alert during Ganesh fest 2021
PUNE A spike in fresh Covid cases during the Ganesh festival in 2020 serves as grim warning ahead of festivities in the city this year
PUNE A spike in fresh Covid cases during the Ganesh festival in 2020 serves as grim warning ahead of festivities in the city this year.
Pune district saw its first Covid wave peak in September 2020, post the 10-day Ganesh festival.
Last year, as per figures released by the state health department, Pune district reported 37,968 fresh Covid cases cases between August 22 and September 2, the period during which the Ganesh festival was celebrated. The district reported 31,110 cases between August 10 and August 21.
This means a spike of 6,800 fresh Covid-19 cases was reported during the week of the Ganesh festival.
Currently, Pune still accounts for 25% of active Covid-19 cases in the state, as per data with the state health department.
As of Thursday, September 9, Pune accounted for 12,758 active Covid-19 cases of the 50,000 cases in the state. This number is the highest for any district in Maharashtra. After Pune is Thane, with 5,000 fewer active cases.
Pune has also reported the highest number of Covid-related deaths in the state, with 19,674 fatalities due to the infection.
For this year’s Ganesh fest, physical darshan at mandaps has been prohibited to avoid crowding.
Even on the last day of the festival, Anant Chaturdashi, immersion has been allowed only in artificial ponds which will be provided by the Pune municipal corporation (PMC).
Dr Subhash Salunkhe, Covid-19 advisor to the state said, “With the number of new cases down this time and a higher vaccination rate, people may ignore Covid-19 protocol at public gatherings. At least 60% of the eligible population has received at least one shot of the vaccine and so they may tend to be a bit more careless than last year. However, let us remember that though vaccines can reduce the severity of the symptoms, it does not prevent the infection totally. There are still a large number of people vulnerable like children who are yet to be fully vaccinated.”
