Meanwhile, Ganesh Chaturthi is to be celebrated at homes, and SC permits devotees to offer Paryushan prayers at three Jain temples in Mumbai
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a total of 6,92,028 cases have been reported in the past 24 hours, an increase of 5,633 in the number. Now the number of Covid-19 cases in the country are above 29,05,823. This is reported to be the highest number so far, perhaps the highest in any country worldwide in August. Around 986 deaths have also been reported.
This spike has been due to a high daily active case load that has been reported from states such as Maharashtra which recorded 1,62,806 cases, an increase of 2,078; Karnataka has 82,165 cases, an increase of 1,052; Delhi has 11,271 cases, an increase of 134; Punjab has 13,830 cases, an increase of 1,370; and Odisha 21,063 an increase of 1,249. The complete list can be accessed here: https://www.mohfw.gov.in
While there is a steady rise in new cases, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has stated that India has also recorded the highest single day recoveries, of around 62,282 people, who have been discharged from hospitals, and home isolation, in the last 24 hours. According to an official statement by the ministry, “The total recoveries have crossed the 21.5 lakh mark, and the gap between recovered patients and active Covid -19 cases has increased and reached 14,66,918. The ministry maintains that the current active cases (6,92,028) compose the “actual caseload'' of the country. It is 23.82% of the total positive cases today.”
According to official data, India’s Case Fatality Rate (CFR) currently stands at 1.89%, and is “below the global average.” The following charts are from MOHFW.
According to a report in The Indian Express, the Covid-19 doubling time is now 30 days. This varies greatly, as different states record different spikes. Delhi for example now has a doubling time of about 100 days. This is good news, as it means that there is a slowdown in the number of days it takes for the infectious cases to grow to double in number, around 24 days in this case, since July 27. It may now take 30 days for the numbers to double next. This is a slowdown in the pace of the spread, if all goes well that is.
Meanwhile, the post-Monsoon festive season has begun in many parts of the country and devotees are out preparing. This is what a market in Mumbai looked like on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, a major festival in Maharashtra, and many other states.
The state government has issued strict guidelines for the festival this year apart from the compulsory Covid protocol of masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene. These include: a cap on the idol’s maximum height of 4 feet, and those at home should be two feet high, and eco-friendly. The city’s municipal corporation has also banned large processions for arrival and immersion of idols. Only 5 people will be allowed to participate in the procession, reports News 18. In Delhi, there is a ban on large congregations, and no celebrations or immersions will be allowed to take place at public places
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Jain community of Mumbai to offer prayers, on Saturday and Sunday, at three temples in the city, to celebrate the eight-day Paryushan festival. According to a report by NDTV, while religious congregations remain banned under the Covid guidelines, including at the three temples, the court has allowed a temporary individual worship.
The report states that the SC made it clear that the interim order could not be viewed as a precedent to allow congregations at other places of worship. "This (the interim order) is not intended to apply in any other case, particularly for any large congregation. We are referring particularly to the kind of congregations that take place during Ganpati festival in Mumbai and other places," the court said on Friday, reported NDTV.
According to the news report, The Shri Parshwatilak Shwetamber Murtipujak Tapagacch Jain Trust had sought permission to pray at temples during the Paryushan period, from the SC after the Bombay High Court disallowed the opening of Jain temples in the city. NDTV quotes Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde saying, "This is a dynamic situation and is fact-intensive. If you can enforce SOP and obtain an undertaking, why shouldn't the activities be held? This is exactly the choice we had with the Odisha Rath Yatra. If we can ensure social distancing, and people do not gather, then having the rath is not damaging. We were forgiven by Lord Jagannath, we will be forgiven again."
source-sabrangindia
