Delhi to Kerala: How India is battling COVID-19

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As concerns over the spread of Covid-19 grow stronger across the country, the states and the Centre are throwing their weight behind containing it. Today, fresh cases of coronavirus in Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have been reported, taking the total confirmed cases so far to 43, with three being active cases. The new cases include a 3-year-old boy from Kerala, a factory worker in Agra and a woman from Jammu and Kashmir. The Covid-19 outbreak began in December 2019 in Wuhan in China’s Hubei province and has since spread to 89 countries and territories. There have been over 98,000 confirmed cases — 82 per cent of that in China alone — and 3,380 deaths, with over 3,000 just in China, according to the WHO.

The virus spreads when a person comes in contact with small droplets from an infected person’s nose or mouth and then touches her own eyes, nose or mouth.

How states are gearing up for coronavirus 

Delhi 

1. 40 doctors and paramedical staff deployed at the airport to help screen fliers.
2. Managers of 100 hotels sensitised.
3. All primary schools shut till March 31.
4. 230 beds in 19 government and 6 private hospitals.

Uttar Pradesh

1. 50,000 homes in Agra surveyed by polio-awareness workers to check if anyone has had contact with an infected person.
2. 3 medical stores in Agra sealed after complaints of hoarding of sanitisers and masks.
3. Hotels and tourist sites told to inform the chief medical officer on arrival of tourists from certain countries. 
4. Increased vigil at state's six border points with Nepal where visitors are screened.

Kerala 

1. Stat-level rapid response team and medical boards in hospital.
2. 18 teams in the control room, including for data and psychological support.
3. Clear guidelines on risk factors and patient discharge criteria.
4. 547 people under surveillance including 508 isolated at home and 39 in designated facilities. 

Telangana 

1. Rs. 100 crore fund to tackle Covid-19.
2. 3,000 beds in five hospitals.
3. Retired doctors and nurses on standby.
4. 4 bureaucrats heading panels on hospitals, procurement, surveillance, communication, and training. 

Tamil Nadu

1. Team of around 40 leading efforts, state has 50,000 health workers on the ground.
2. More reliance on Whatsapp groups and conference calls than on personal meetings.
3. Frequent meetings with officials from neighbouring states like Kerala.
4. 235 beds in public hospitals, expandable to 1,000

Coronavirus around the world

1. 80,711 confirmed cases, 3,045 death in China.
2. 17,481 confirmed cases outside China.
3. 335 death outside China.
4. 89 countries affected.

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