India passes a grim coronavirus milestone
The number of people infected by the coronavirus in India crossed 1 million, nearly five-and-a half months after the country reported its first case. The US and Brazil are the only countries that have registered cases in excess of this figure, although the pace of spread there has been much faster.
The pandemic has so far claimed more than 25,000 lives in India. Relative to population, India’s numbers are still low, but the steep rise in absolute numbers risks overwhelming the healthcare system, apart from triggering more restrictions that are already hampering economic recovery. Here’s a situation report on India’s Covid-19 outbreak.
MUCH TO WORRY
4. Pandemic spreading to new areas that may not be equipped to deal with it
No. of districts with more than 1,000 cases has risen 20 times
April 26: 5 districts
July 16: 115 districts
5. Rural India seeing more cases
- Cases in UP, Bihar, Odisha, Telangana, Jharkhand grew faster than national average during June 1-July 16
- In all these states, testing level is low — 5,000 to 7,000 tests per million
WHY HAS SITUATION WORSENED?
- Easing lockdown caused virus to spread
- Some fatigue among people; lax use of face mask
- States reinventing the wheel and not following Centre’s rulebook
- Lockdowns not being used to test and isolate
SOME SILVER LINING
Fatality rate is low and falling rapidly
Case load is among the lowest in the world relative to population
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
- Ward-level testing of at-risk groups must be expanded
- Centre has to step in to help states struggling with rising cases
- More labs needed to expand testing in tier-II and tier-III towns
- Antigen tests can yield faster results
- Price of testing in private labs still unaffordable for many, needs to come down
- Penal action must to ensure use of face masks, physical distancing