Mumbai gets ready to celebrate its biggest festival amid surging coronavirus cases
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Thursday
July 07, 2022

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
  • Epaper
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Splash
    • Videos
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
THURSDAY, JULY 07, 2022
Mumbai gets ready to celebrate its biggest festival amid surging coronavirus cases

South Asia

Reuters
09 September, 2021, 06:25 pm
Last modified: 09 September, 2021, 06:26 pm

Related News

  • Waterlogged Mumbai on alert for heavy rain
  • Mumbai building collapse kills at least 19 with more feared trapped
  • India sees 45% jump in a day with 17,073 new Covid cases
  • Gold worth Rs 5 lakh recovered from rats in gutter in India's Mumbai
  • Mumbai mosques turn volume down on call to prayer after Hindu's demands

Mumbai gets ready to celebrate its biggest festival amid surging coronavirus cases

Coronavirus cases in the city rose to 530 daily infections on Wednesday, according to government data. Mumbai recorded a peak of 11,000 cases during India's devastating second wave this year, but won accolades for the way it recovered and curbed infections

Reuters
09 September, 2021, 06:25 pm
Last modified: 09 September, 2021, 06:26 pm
Devotees flock to catch a glimpse of an idol of the Hindu God Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, as it leaves a workshop ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India, September 5, 2021. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Devotees flock to catch a glimpse of an idol of the Hindu God Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, as it leaves a workshop ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India, September 5, 2021. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

As India's financial capital, Mumbai, gets ready for its biggest festival of the year, daily coronavirus cases have surged, rising more than two-fold in less than a month, even as authorities imposed curbs to prevent a further spike.

Markets were bustling and streets were crowded as people prepared for the 11-day festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrating the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha, which begins on Friday.

Coronavirus cases in the city, which were at a low of 190 on Aug 16, rose to 530 daily infections on Wednesday, according to government data. Mumbai recorded a peak of 11,000 cases during India's devastating second wave this year, but won accolades for the way it recovered and curbed infections.

Most coronavirus-related restrictions have been lifted in the city, including on its famed local trains, which are now open to fully vaccinated travellers. But as the Ganesh festival approaches, authorities have imposed fresh curbs on public processions and restricted crowding at public pandals - temporary structures built to protect a shrine.

Before the coronavirus outbreak hit the city, thousands of people thronged the streets to pray to towering idols of Ganesha, which are placed at almost every street corner by local organisations and politicians, and on the last day of the festival, to immerse those idols in the sea.

This year, citizens are forbidden from visiting such pandals and the city's civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, suggested that only 10 people, preferably fully vaccinated, should accompany the idol for immersion.

"The third wave is not coming. It is already here," Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar told reporters this week, urging citizens to stay home and celebrate the festival.

As the festival season gets under way in India, several states are preparing for a possible third wave of the coronavirus.

On Thursday, the health ministry said 43,263 fresh cases were reported overnight, taking its cumulative caseload to 33.14 millon.

Coronavirus chronicle / World+Biz

Mumbai / India Covid-19 / Ganesh Chaturthi

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BPC looks for $2b as fuel stock depletes fast
    BPC looks for $2b as fuel stock depletes fast
  • International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva meets Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, December 8, 2021. REUTERS/ Hereward Holland
    IMF chief says 'cannot rule out' possible global recession
  • Photo: Unicef
    World hunger rising as UN agencies warn of ‘looming catastrophe’

MOST VIEWED

  • A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) logo is seen at the gate of its office in New Delhi, India, November 9, 2018. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain/
    India cenbank acts to enhance foreign fund inflows, stabilise rupee
  • Representation of the virtual currency Bitcoin is seen on a motherboard in this picture illustration taken April 24, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
    India's cryptocurrency industry reels as new tax hammers trading
  • Nepal's Finance Minister Janardan Sharma. Photo: Collected
    Nepal's finance minister quits after parliament speaker orders probe
  • A man waits in a queue to buy petrol due to fuel shortage, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 16 June 2022. File Photo: Reuters
    Sri Lanka president asks Russia's Putin to help import fuel
  • The minister will cease to be a member of the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Photo: NDTV
    Modi govt's muslim face Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi resigns as Union minister
  • A man rides a cycle along main road as less vehicles are on the road due to fuel shortage, amid the country's economic crisis, in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 28 June 2022. Photo: Reuters
    Sri Lanka looks to Indians visitors to restore battered tourism sector

Related News

  • Waterlogged Mumbai on alert for heavy rain
  • Mumbai building collapse kills at least 19 with more feared trapped
  • India sees 45% jump in a day with 17,073 new Covid cases
  • Gold worth Rs 5 lakh recovered from rats in gutter in India's Mumbai
  • Mumbai mosques turn volume down on call to prayer after Hindu's demands

Features

The sea beach in Kuakata. Photo: Syed Mehedy Hasan

Five places in Southern Bangladesh you could visit via Padma Bridge

23h | Explorer
Genex Infosys Limited is the country's largest call centre with more than 2,000 seats and full-set equipment. Photo: Courtesy

How domestic demand made Genex Infosys a BPO industry leader

1d | Panorama
The OPEC+ group of 23 oil-exporting countries met virtually on Thursday. Photo: Bloomberg

OPEC+ did its job, but don’t expect it to disappear

1d | Panorama
Mirza Abdul Kader Sardar with AK Fazlul Haque, Chief Minister of Bengal, at Haque's reception at the Lion Cinema, Dhaka, 1941. Photo: Collected

Panchayats: Where tradition clings to survival

1d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Load shedding is back

Load shedding is back

11m | Videos
Photo: TBS

Has Russia gained anything in its invasion of Ukraine?

51m | Videos
Behind the story of 'Aske Amar Mon Bhalo Nei'

Behind the story of 'Aske Amar Mon Bhalo Nei'

12h | Videos
Is Donbas Putin’s next target?

Is Donbas Putin’s next target?

15h | Videos

Most Read

1
Photo: Collected
Africa

Uganda discovers gold deposits worth 12 trillion USD

2
TBS Illustration
Education

Universities may launch online classes again after Eid

3
Area-wise load shedding schedule will be announced: PM
Bangladesh

Area-wise load shedding schedule will be announced: PM

4
Padma Bridge opens up investment spree in south
Industry

Padma Bridge opens up investment spree in south

5
Build Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway, relocate kitchen markets: PM
Bangladesh

Build Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway, relocate kitchen markets: PM

6
File Photo: BSS
Energy

India pulls out of LoC funding for part of Rooppur power transmission work

EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2022
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab
BENEATH THE SURFACE
A boat sails through the River Meghna carrying rice bran, a popular cattle feed, from a rice mill in Ashuganj to cattle markets. There are around 250 rice mills in Ashuganj that produce rice bran. The photo was taken recently. Photo: Rajib Dhar

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net