India logs slimmest rise in Covid-19 cases in 543 days despite festivals, South Asia News & Top Stories

NEW DELHI (REUTERS) - India reported 7,579 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday (Nov 23), the smallest rise in 1½ years despite huge festival gatherings in recent weeks, thanks to rising vaccinations and antibodies from prior infections. The country of 1.35 billion celebrated Durga Puja in October and Diwali this month, during which millions of people shopped, travelled and met family, mostly without masks. Mask wearing is nearly non-existent outside the big cities. "Even after Diwali, we are not seeing a surge," said Dr M.D. Gupte, a former director of the state-run National Institute of Epidemiology, attributing it mainly to the…