Rural India is now inundated with the surge in Covid cases with hospitals and facilities overwhelmed. Are the number of weddings flouting Covid norms behind the spike?

The second wave of Covid-19 has now gripped rural India, making inroads into villages and wreaking havoc. Ignorant of Covid-appropriate behaviour and safety protocols, villages are bearing the brunt of the second wave.

Early this month, 8 people had died in Basatpur village of Bihar’s Seetamarhi district. When India Today TV visited the village, locals said half of the village is symptomatic, however, they don’t know if it is Covid-19.

After several deaths were reported here, the health department rushed a team to carry out rapid testing in the village to check on the population.

From 11 am to 2 pm, the health department conducted around 57 tests out of which 8 were found positive with rapid testing. The health department official Satish Kumar said that many others were symptomatic.

The scale of Covid spread could be seen on ground. India Today TV witnessed the number of Covid patients went up from 8 to 10 out of the 60 who were tested. Most of these were aged below 25 years.

More children affected

The health department official confirmed that most of the positive cases in the villages are of people aged less than 25 years. The villagers said that many have died in the last few days. People are even apprehensive about getting themselves tested, said the locals.

Covid has not even spared children below 15 years. A 12-year-old girl was also diagnosed in a random Covid testing drive. A health department official said, “She had been going to wedding ceremonies and that could be a reason behind her infection.”

Villagers also said that the girl had been to wedding ceremonies from where she could have contracted the virus. The girl later left back home after being advised by the health department to isolate herself for 14 days.

Follows Munni to her house, many other girls were found in the village sitting outside their doors in isolation. They were all less than 18 years and Covid positive. None were willing to talk to the media. However, this shows the spread of the virus, which is now taking a toll on children.

Panic prevents many from attending weddings

In rural India, wedding ceremonies have continued unabated and have now turned out to be super spreader events with no checks. While even in tier-2 cities some protocols were followed, in rural areas, no such rules were in place.

Harishankar and Swapali had never imagined that their special day will wear a deserted look. But panic in Varanasi and adjoining areas due to the Covid outbreak has led to guests staying away.

In Sarnath town, most wedding ceremonies were seen abiding by rules. Families and relatives of both grooms and brides were seen wearing masks. Upon arrival of the guests, the groom’s side or the bride’s side checked temperatures with thermal scanners, used hand sanitizers and those without masks were provided with one.

One such bride’s relative, Deendayal Yadav, said, “There is a fear in the minds of people and hence most of the relatives were not even invited. Those who have come are leaving after dinner. We are following rules. This is a huge crisis around us.”

Swapali and Harishankar however are not happy as their wedding ceremony could not be as grand as they expected. Both of them did wear masks for a while, but took them off for photos with relatives on stage.

Small towns have been at receiving end of the second wave with hundreds of Covid cases being detected. Fear is palpable among villagers over the surge.