While some argue that 60 crore Kumbh attendees are fine and label illness reports as hate-spreading, doctors report seeing patients with respiratory issues post-dip, citing their OPD data as evidence of rising sickness
Published Feb 27, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 27, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Devotees taking a dip on 17 January 2025. (RP Saroj/Creative Commons)
Synopsis: As the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 concluded, social media posts claimed attendees fell ill after returning home. Doctors confirmed many people reported respiratory and stomach infections, but emphasized the dip was not the sole cause. The event, attended by 400 million pilgrims, likely contributed to illness due to the large crowds, according to Dr. Ravindra Mehta, a medical expert
As the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 concluded on Thursday, 26 February, posts have emerged on social media claiming several attendees falling ill upon returning home. South First spoke to doctors to know if the claims were true and whether the dip itself was the reasons for some people falling sick.
Interestingly, anecdotal evidence from doctors says that people are coming in with respiratory and stomach related infections post their return from the Kumbh. However, the dip itself is not the only reason, explain doctors to South First.
The Kumbh Mela, recognised as one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, drew an estimated 400 million pilgrims over its 45-day duration. While the event is a profound spiritual experience for many, whenever there is such massive congregation, it is obvious that people could fall sick, say doctors.
Speaking to South First, Dr Ravindra Mehta, Founder, Director of ‘VAAYU Chest and Sleep Center’ and Head of Apollo Bangalore Integrated Pumonology Services said, “yes, we have been seeing people coming back sick after Kumbh. With both respiratory diseases and also sometimes occassionaly GI disturbances.”
While there are several posts coming in from doctors and public reporting respiratory illness post the Kumbh dip, there are arguments of both kinds, with people arguing that nearly 60 crore people took dip in the holy river and they are all doing fine. They call it hate-spreading attempt. However, doctors have given their OPD status and some of them have said that they are indeed seeing patients who are sick.
Dr Nidhi with X handle @dr_nm71 posted, “How do you know everyone is fine? Have you done a follow up of all the 60 crore who have taken the dip? I am a doctor and I have hosted almost 150 guests since start of Kumbh 2025. In the very beginning (jan) itself atleast 5 guests became sick after the dip on different occasions,”
Meanwhile another doctor from Kolkata with handle @dipshikhaGhosh who also confirmed to South First about one case and said, “I have a patient right here with a severe lung infection from water from Kumbh having entered through her nostrils while she was taking a dip. She’s not being able to breathe on her own now and has had to be ventilated and proned. Religion is important, yes, but please don’t undermine science. Be aware. Be cautious,” read the post.
I have a patient right here with a severe lung infection from water from Kumbh having entered through her nostrils while she was taking a dip. She’s not being able to breathe on her own now and has had to be ventilated and proned. Religion is important, yes, but please don’t… https://t.co/nMcevQIvfN
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) February 18, 2025
She explains further that the patient came with high grade fever following her travels and both lungs “whiteout”-tested positive for Salmonella. However, the doctor was trolled for her warning.
While agreeing that people are falling sick and coming in with respiratory infections post kumbh travel, doctors South First spoke to said, “It is very common for people to fall sick after taking a bath in any river with so many people around. Mere presence of such a huge crowd contaminates water bodies,” explained Dr Achyuth Panuganti, head and neck oncologist and reconstructive surgeon and founder of Dr Achyuth’s Head and Neck Cancers, ENT and Skull Base Clinic in Secunderabad .
Doctors said that the holy dip, considered an essential ritual of the Kumbh, might have exposed millions to contaminated water. They have raised concerns about water pollution, noting that despite government efforts to maintain cleanliness, the sheer number of devotees—estimated at over 400 million—may have overwhelmed sanitation measures.
Meanwhile, saying that the respiratory diseases is easy to understand, Dr Mehta said he saw a phenomenon where “the numbers started to rise after the initial proclamation marketing and advertising happened they coming back with respiratory infections.”
He explains that the “massive rush, temperature differences, accommodations, taking bath in the cold and also it is obvious that so many people taking bath in one area will have more infections because of contamination. Human to human as well as water to human is a concern.”
He says that everybody who is going, is not taking a dip in the flowing water area, but are also taking a dip in the area where water is stagnant and that also is adding to the respiratory infections.
The festival coincided with a harsh cold wave in Prayagraj. On the first day of the Shahi Snan, a sudden temperature drop, accompanied by icy winds and intermittent drizzle also could be one of the reasons that led to people falling sick.
Dr. Panuganti cautions that factors like travel fatigue, stops en route, eating out, delayed meals, and dietary changes can contribute to illness, not just the dip. However, the sickness lasts only a few days, with most people recovering, suggesting not everyone who attended the Kumbh is falling ill, as claimed on social media.
“Cough is lingering a little longer but we are not seeing any pneumonia or something. So I ask people who come with complaints of cough and cold if they have gone to Kumbh, just to figure out and I think that it has been a source. It is quite common when there is so many people gathered in one place. It is not unusual,” said Dr Mehta.
Doctors in Bengaluru also said that they see cases of people coming in sick post Kumbh, but are responding to basic antibiotics which is used to treat regular bacterial sore throat. They explain that temporary stalls, mass kitchens and street food vendors may not follow strict hygiene protocols, leading to food poisoning. There are cases of stomach upsets and this the doctors says could also be due to “improper storage and handling in makeshift kitchens can result in bacterial contamination leading to people coming in with diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.”
Meanwhile, Dr Abhiram R, Consultant Dermatologist and Drematosurgeon at Vasavi Hospitals and iskin clinic in Bengaluru said that he has been seeing fungal infections, urticaria and eczema cases in his patients who have returned from the Kumbh. He says, “most of my patients returning from maha kumbh mela have complaints of itching and rashes over the private areas of the body, possibly due to prolonged exposure to damp clothing, unhygienic conditions, and shared facilities.”
He says, change in weather and environmental factors, change in food, standing for long time in queues etc could be reasons for skin allergies like urticaria and eczema.
Like Dr Panuganta pointed out, Pilgrims often undertake long journeys, engage in prolonged periods of standing, and participate in physically demanding rituals. Combined with limited rest and exposure to the elements, these factors can weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses.
“Travel and tiredness also adds to this as people are travelling across states through various means of transport. Also, eating irregular meals and fatigue from walking long distances, standing in queues, and participating in rituals could suppress their immune system making them sick,” he says.
Medical professionals have advised recent Kumbh Mela attendees to monitor their health and take precautions. “Anyone experiencing stomach issues or respiratory discomfort should stay hydrated, rest, and seek medical attention if symptoms persist beyond two days,” said doctors. Also, if they notice any skin infections, then they need to visit a dermatologist for medication.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
