India celebrates Holi amid alarming surge in COVID cases
Al JazeeraIndians are celebrating Holi, the festival of colours, despite many states restricting gatherings to contain a coronavirus resurgence across the country. But for the second consecutive year, people were encouraged to stay home to avoid turning the festivities into superspreader events amid the latest virus surge. On Monday, the health ministry reported 68,020 new cases, the sharpest daily rise since October last year, taking the nationwide tally to more than 12 million. The latest surge is centred in the western state of Maharashtra, which on Sunday reported 40,414 new coronavirus cases, almost two-thirds of the national total, many of them in the densely populated financial capital Mumbai. 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 in the Ganges river.