Diwali shopping frenzy boosts hope for Indian economy amid fears of coronavirus surge

People have thronged markets from New Delhi to Mumbai ahead of Saturday’s festival, the country’s biggest holiday

But while there is cautious optimism on the effect their spending will have, experts worry the crowds, winter weather and air pollution will see an upswing in Covid-19 cases

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Crowds at a marketplace in Mumbai shop for this year’s Diwali festival. Photo: AP

Published: 6:55pm, 13 Nov 2020Updated: 7:03pm, 13 Nov 2020

The crowds filling shopping areas ahead of Saturday’s Diwali festival of lights are raising the hopes of India’s distressed business community, after months of lockdown losses – but also spawning fears of a massive Covid-19 upsurge.

People have thronged markets in key cities from New Delhi to Mumbai and Ahmedabad ahead of India’s biggest holiday, but not everyone is wearing masks, leaving experts worried that public places could fuel super-spreading events.

Some are also concerned that India’s short winter could fuel a steep rise in new cases.

K. Srinath Reddy, head of the not for profit Public Health Foundation of India, said Diwali posed a “great danger” because of the crowds, the cold and the air pollution, which studies have linked to increased Covid-19 deaths.

“Even in summer, super-spreader events with crowds of people will always pose a big risk of transmission,” he said. “For a variety of reasons, [in winter] the immunity goes down, the viral susceptibility goes up, the virus survival on outside surfaces increases and we now are in great danger of all of these factors joining together.”

India has reported more than 8.7 million infections, the world’s second-highest caseload behind the United States. New Delhi, the capital, is going through its worst phase in the pandemic, with hospitals swamped and crematoriums heaving from a sudden increase in deaths.