Lock Coronavirus Down: The Suspense Continues!
As the 21-day lockdown in India completes the first
week today the total infected of COVID-19 in the world crossing 800,000 persons
with deaths at nearly 39 thousand, and in India the graph is still steady
with around 1200 infected and 32 deaths. After reeling under a merciless
torrent of deaths for the last few days Italy seems to have a sigh of relief with
no new deaths recorded for the time being, and reduced deaths for Spain, Iran
and USA—in the latter infections are still on the surge and deaths had doubled
in the last 2 days, and better scenarios in terms of new cases for France, United
Kingdom and Switzerland. However, absolute suspense continues in India where,
experts still say that Stage-2 is not yet over and the real picture would
materialize once Stage-3 is reached. The main point of interest being at the
moment: has the lockdown helped India in controlling the spread of the Coronavirus.
The Government of India has said that the measure seems to have a positive
impact on the spread while other experts are giving the opinion that perhaps
the virus is not spreading as much in India and in Africa due to the factor of increasing
hot weather. Still others have painted a gloomy picture for India from April,
2020 onwards. Whatever way it goes the country, with its states and union territories
is getting more and prepared for the final assault. The testing figure is
increasing day by day with more kits attained and private hospitals also
brought into the loop (even now, India is utilizing only 36% of its total
testing capacity), the number of ICUs with ventilators has continued to
increase too, tracing and quarantine being arranged all the time for suspected
cases and many of the public hospitals have been converted into dedicated
centres for COVID-19 all over the country. There is also the other part of the
suspense drama as to what is going to happen beyond 14th April—would
lockdown be extended or only temporarily lifted. World Updates:
Naturally, there had been some hiccups in the
execution part for a country of 1.3 billion citizens suddenly trying to shut
everyone up behind closed doors. We mentioned about the problem of migrant
laborers in our last piece—this problem had magnified in various parts of the
country in the last two days with thousands of workers congregating in a
desperate attempt to go to their village homes. Authorities in a place in North
India reportedly made a crowd of migrant workers squat on the road and then
sprayed disinfectant, said to be bleach, over them. This inhuman act created a
raging controversy on questions of treatment to poor workers and their supposed
social status.
The police atrocities, much in the way of an old
school headmaster, have also been raising eyebrows all over. While the forces
had justified by saying it was absolutely necessary to make casual and ignorant
public see reason and stop roaming the streets others have questioned the
tactics, sometimes too ruthless and humiliating. In some parts the supply chain
has been affected with people, including senior citizens, remaining deprived of
essentials.
One more controversy has been raised in the
aftermath of a religious congregation held at Nizamuddin, New Delhi between 5th
and 15th March, 2020 with around 2000 participants from all over the
country and from some foreign nation. Now, around 24 participants of the event
had proved COVID-19 positive with 6 reportedly dying in various places, and
questions are being asked as to how the Delhi authorities allowed such a
congregation take place. Hectic efforts are underway to trace all the
participants, and many are put in quarantine already. Vested interests are trying
to create communal sentiments by blaming the particular religious group for
endangering others.
As the authorities are constantly asking the public
to not panic, stay at home and follow the guidelines strictly the locked-up
millions are also having the benefit of a few feel-good factors, apart from the
daily dose of ennui and looking for rations. Some of the feel-good factors,
freely moving around the social media, are: quality time to spend at home, thus
strengthening the fading family bonds; no noise pollution, and a discernible
reduction in air pollution all around; the avian surge with the migratory birds
making their presence felt this time by occupying the beautiful but empty
surrounds; wild animals coming out in the human-less streets and having great
fun; incredible saving of the fuel and Mother Nature asserting Her sway over a hitherto
dithering humankind. And, as to the future course of Coronavirus in India and
elsewhere it is up to Mother Nature only, to decide…really.
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