This footage filmed on April 14 shows thousands of people gathering in the north Indian city of Haridwar, to join the Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela.

Thousands of devotees celebrate the religious event without wearing a mask and bathe in the River Ganges, amid a coronavirus spike in the country.

According to the Indian government, millions of pilgrims flocked to Haridwar at a time when India recorded more than 200,000 new coronavirus infections in a single day, and hospitals witness severe shortages of beds and oxygen.

During the celebrations, at least 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded (April 13-14), with Haridwar becoming a new hotspot for the spread of the virus.

The city of Haridwar only observes the festival every 12 years. Social distancing measures have been extremely difficult to enforce due to the number of people participating.

Even as the country reels under a second wave of Covid-19 and many states are imposing restrictions, devotees continue to throng Haridwar to take part in the ongoing Kumbh Mela. Haridwar on Tuesday & Wednesday reported 1,000 above cases of Covid-19, taking the active caseload of the city to 2,812.

The city has emerged as a new hotspot as thousands are flocking here to take dips in the Ganga on the occasion of third shahi snan today during the religious congregation. Earlier on Monday, the city recorded 408 fresh cases. Along with the devotees, thousands of seers, representing 13 Akhadas, have also arrived here to participate in the event. Several seers have also tested positive for Covid-19.

According to the state Health department, Uttarakhand on Tuesday recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases and deaths this year as 1,925 more people tested positive and 13 patients succumbed to the infection. The number of cases rose to 1,12,071 and the toll climbed to 1,780. There are 9,353 active cases, while 98,897 people have recovered.

Dehradun district reported 775 cases, followed by 594 in Haridwar, 217 in Nainital and 172 in Udham Singh Nagar. The state had recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases on September 19 last year with 2,078 people testing positive.

Nearly a million people have flocked to the banks of the Ganga to participate in the months-long Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Devotees were seen flouting Covid-protocol as they roam without mask and with no social distancing on the ghats.

Even as the country reels under a second wave of Covid-19 and many states are imposing restrictions, devotees continue to throng Haridwar to take part in the ongoing Kumbh Mela. Haridwar on Tuesday & Wednesday reported 1,000 above cases of Covid-19, taking the active caseload of the city to 2,812. The Ambulance has depuited in emergency purpose for Covid.

The city has emerged as a new hotspot as thousands are flocking here to take dips in the Ganga on the occasion of third shahi snan today during the religious congregation. Earlier on Monday, the city recorded 408 fresh cases. Along with the devotees, thousands of seers, representing 13 Akhadas, have also arrived here to participate in the event. Several seers have also tested positive for Covid-19.

According to the state Health department, Uttarakhand on Tuesday recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases and deaths this year as 1,925 more people tested positive and 13 patients succumbed to the infection. The number of cases rose to 1,12,071 and the toll climbed to 1,780. There are 9,353 active cases, while 98,897 people have recovered.

Dehradun district reported 775 cases, followed by 594 in Haridwar, 217 in Nainital and 172 in Udham Singh Nagar. The state had recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases on September 19 last year with 2,078 people testing positive.

Nearly a million people have flocked to the banks of the Ganga to participate in the months-long Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Devotees were seen flouting Covid-protocol as they roam without mask and with no social distancing on the ghats.

Even as the country reels under a second wave of Covid-19 and many states are imposing restrictions, devotees continue to throng Haridwar to take part in the ongoing Kumbh Mela. Haridwar on Tuesday & Wednesday reported 1,000 above cases of Covid-19, taking the active caseload of the city to 2,812.

The city has emerged as a new hotspot as thousands are flocking here to take dips in the Ganga on the occasion of third shahi snan today during the religious congregation. Earlier on Monday, the city recorded 408 fresh cases. Along with the devotees, thousands of seers, representing 13 Akhadas, have also arrived here to participate in the event. Several seers have also tested positive for Covid-19.

According to the state Health department, Uttarakhand on Tuesday recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases and deaths this year as 1,925 more people tested positive and 13 patients succumbed to the infection. The number of cases rose to 1,12,071 and the toll climbed to 1,780. There are 9,353 active cases, while 98,897 people have recovered.

Dehradun district reported 775 cases, followed by 594 in Haridwar, 217 in Nainital and 172 in Udham Singh Nagar. The state had recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases on September 19 last year with 2,078 people testing positive.

Nearly a million people have flocked to the banks of the Ganga to participate in the months-long Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Devotees were seen flouting Covid-protocol as they roam without mask and with no social distancing on the ghats.

Several million Hindus have gathered to take a dip in the Ganges river as a deadly second Covid-19 wave continues to sweep India.

The devotees are marking an auspicious bathing day on Wednesday at the Kumbh Mela religious festival in Haridwar city in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.

Officials say they are struggling to impose safety norms due to huge crowds.

The Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years and the venue is chosen from amongst four cities, including Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain.

Haridwar's turn to host the gathering came amid a sharp rise in the number of coronavirus infections, with India consistently reporting more than 100,000 cases daily in the past few weeks. On Wednesday, India logged more than 168,000 new cases.

Health experts had appealed for the Kumbh Mela festival to be cancelled, but the government went ahead saying safety rules would be followed.

Even as the country reels under a second wave of Covid-19 and many states are imposing restrictions, devotees continue to throng Haridwar to take part in the ongoing Kumbh Mela. Haridwar on Tuesday & Wednesday reported 1,000 above cases of Covid-19, taking the active caseload of the city to 2,812.

The city has emerged as a new hotspot as thousands are flocking here to take dips in the Ganga on the occasion of third shahi snan today during the religious congregation. Earlier on Monday, the city recorded 408 fresh cases. Along with the devotees, thousands of seers, representing 13 Akhadas, have also arrived here to participate in the event. Several seers have also tested positive for Covid-19.

According to the state Health department, Uttarakhand on Tuesday recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases and deaths this year as 1,925 more people tested positive and 13 patients succumbed to the infection. The number of cases rose to 1,12,071 and the toll climbed to 1,780. There are 9,353 active cases, while 98,897 people have recovered.

Dehradun district reported 775 cases, followed by 594 in Haridwar, 217 in Nainital and 172 in Udham Singh Nagar. The state had recorded the highest single-day spike in coronavirus cases on September 19 last year with 2,078 people testing positive.

Nearly a million people have flocked to the banks of the Ganga to participate in the months-long Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Devotees were seen flouting Covid-protocol as they roam without mask and with no social distancing on the ghats.