Corona strikes Bihar wedding, groom dies, 100 infected
PATNA: A wedding ceremony has proved to be one of the worst cases of COVID-19 super spreader in Bihar due to which over 100 persons got infected and the bridegroom died two days after the marriage.
A young software engineer working in Gurugram who returned to his hometown Bihar last month for his wedding may have infected almost 100 people with the corona virus. The groom himself died with COVID-19 symptoms just two days after the ceremony, which was attended by more 350 friends and family.
More than 100 people have tested positive for corona virus after attending the wedding and then funeral of the groom, who reportedly tied the knot while he was ill with the disease.
Officials said on Wednesday the 30 year-old groom had symptoms of the deadly virus when he got married on June 15. He died a day later. “All others have been identified and isolated.”
The groom traveled to his hometown of Paliganj in Bihar in the second week of May. He soon began showing symptoms typical of the new corona virus fever and diarrhea as the June 15 wedding day approached, but he wasn’t tested for the virus and his family reportedly ignored his wishes to postpone the big day.
“Even though he was feeling unwell by June 14 and wanted the wedding deferred, family heads from both sides advised against it, citing huge financial losses if the arrangements had to be cancelled.” Doctors are not certain the unnamed groom was the source of the infection as he was cremated before tests could be carried out.
He was briefly admitted to a hospital, but his family had him discharged and hosted the wedding with over 300 guests.He died at his home two days later, with nearly 200 people attending the funeral. Some had attended both. None of the groom’s relatives including his bride — tested positive, officials said.
Authorities have launched an investigation into possible violations of social distancing regulations on the number of guests at both the wedding and the funeral. No more than 50 guests are now allowed at weddings and just 20 people at funerals to limit the risk of spreading corona virus.
Two days later, the family tried to rush the man to a hospital as his condition continued to deteriorate, but he died on the way.
The family quickly cremated him without informing authorities, so he was never tested for the corona virus, but one of the wedding guests eventually tipped off local authorities. Bihar has recorded nearly 10,000 Covid-19 cases, with 62 deaths.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has eased lock down restrictions despite a surge in cases. But on Tuesday he warned the nation to be more cautious. “We have become lackadaisical,” he said, adding, “I again want you all to observe precautions in the same way as under lock down.”
The corona virus is still spreading rapidly in India, the world’s fourth worst affected country by the numbers, with close to 600,000 known cases and more than 17,000 deaths.
(With Agency Inputs ).
