With only a week to go for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, the emergence of Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases in India is sparking fear among people. The Maha Kumbh celebration is expected to attract around 450 million devotees.

The concerns pertaining to the massive gathering for this religious event mounted after eight fresh cases of the virus were reported across different states in India. So far, cases of HMPV have been reported from cities like Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Chennai, and Kolkata, and the tally of cases is expected to rise in the coming days. In today’s episode of DNA, ZEE News analyzed and explained the possible impact of HMPV on the Maha Kumbh event.

People from various cities across India and around the world are going to arrive in Prayagraj for the grand religious event. Prayagraj is estimated to see 40 to 45 crore visitors during the Maha Kumbh, which will be held between January 13 and February 26.

It is pertinent to see the distance of each city where virus cases have emerged from Prayagraj: Ahmedabad to Prayagraj: 1,277 km, Bengaluru to Prayagraj: 1,733 km, Chennai to Prayagraj: 1,762 km, Kolkata to Prayagraj: 793 km

▶️ भारत पर चीन का ‘वायरस अटैक’!
▶️ महाकुंभ का समय..’गृहयुद्ध’ का भय?
▶️ संभल में दूसरा ‘हरिहर मंदिर’ मिला

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The Maha Kumbh is being celebrated after 12 years, and a huge turnout of devotees is expected in Prayagraj from January 13 to February 26. The main bathing rituals, known as the Shahi Snan (royal baths), will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami).

Union Health Minister JP Nadda said on Monday that the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is not a new virus, and it was identified for the first time in 2001, and the virus has been circulating in the entire world for many years.

With millions of devotees from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and West Bengal expected to come together at the grand event, the question arises: Could the virus spread to the Mahakumbh, posing a major health risk? The Union health ministry sought to assuage fears, asserting that it was well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses.

Briefing on the impact of HMPV, Nadda highlighted that it spreads through air, by way of respiration, and affects persons of all age groups. The virus spreads more during the winter and the early spring months, he added

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