Social distancing, wearing face masks need to be pushed with vigour as COVID-19 cases rise

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Confirmed COVID-19 cases in India have crossed the five lakh-mark. To be precise, India has so far reported 5.28 lakh cases of COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus. This includes over 16,000 deaths, according to latest data from the Union Health Ministry.

There are only three countries, the United States, Brazil and Russia, that have reported more cases. At this growth rate, India is expected to cross Russia, which has reported 6.2 lakh cases, in a week's time.

The government is still differing on declaring the spread of the virus as community transmission. However, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has gone on record saying that community transmission has begun in his state.

The term ‘community transmission’ is used when it is difficult to trace a case back to a carrier or source.

There could be several reasons. India's gradual easing of lockdown has meant tha more people are coming out for work and other activities. This could increase the rate of transmission. Millions of migrant workers have returned to their villages and towns, taking the infection to those places as well.

All this has happened, in addition to increase in testing numbers. On June 27, the Centre reported having conducted 2.3 lakh tests in a day. Just about a week ago, the daily testing numbers were around 1.8 lakh.

According to COVID-19 tracker Worldometer, India is testing about 5,963 people per million. This is much lower than the figures in US (96,675), Brazil (13,766) and Russia (1.28 lakh) — countries that have higher number of reported cases than India.

We also need to remember that rise in COVID-19 cases will also lead to an increase in number of tests.

On the positive side, the recovery rate has surged with over three lakh patients having been cured and discharged. This has taken the recovery rate to around 58 percent.

Cases and deaths per million population continues to be low at 384 and 12, respectively.

The Indian drug regulator has approved two antiviral drugs — Remdesivir and Favipiravir — for restricted emergency use. Corticosteroid drug Dexamethasone is now part of the treatment protocol. These drugs are expected to improve clinical outcomes and reduce number of COVID-19 deaths in the coming months.

Yet, millions of Indians seem to have not grasped the concept of social distancing and wearing face masks, besides maintaining personal hygiene. There is a need to deliver this message more forcibly. Wearing masks in public places has to be enforced with much more vigour.

To be sure, there are practical problems as well in implementing social distancing and personal hygiene. It is a tall order for millions of people living in slums to maintain social distancing and hygiene. There are many who do not have piped water facility or cannot afford soaps to wash hands.

Despite all these problems, Dharavi — considered one of Asia's largest slums — managed to contain or cut COVID-19’s transmission pace. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has done a commendable job by roping in private general practitioners, conducting doing door-to-door screening, testing, quarantining high risk people, setting up medical infrastructure like oxygen beds and closing containment zones, and providing them with food and groceries. However, the BMC continues to struggle in replicating this model in other areas of Mumbai.

If Dharavi can do it, why can’t other cities?