New Delhi: Large-scale screening of passengers at airports, a robust quarantine system and messages intended to increase awareness about the novel coronavirus reaching the people are among the factors that have helped India steer clear of the deadly virus so far, doctors said.
Coronavirus cases have spread to nearly 50 countries and territories with the virus now rapidly affecting more and more people outside China.
Globally, over 80,000 cases have been reported. However, in India, apart from the three cases in Kerala, there has been no reports of fresh conronavirus cases.
The three people who got infected by the virus were discharged from the hospital after they recovered, bringing the current coronavirus cases in India to zero.
“India has adopted stringent screening measures at all ports and put in place a robust quarantine system to deal with suspected coronavirus cases,” Harshal R. Salve, Associate Professor, Centre for Community Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi, told IANS.
However, given the rapid spread of coronavirus to newer territories, India cannot let its guard down.
The WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has already warned that it would be a fatal mistake for any country to assume that it will not get hit by COVID-19.
“Even though India shares its borders with China and Pakistan, there have only been three confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country (Kerala). Even the three who were infected are now completely fine and have been discharged. There are many reasons for this,” said Vivek Nangia, pulmonologist at Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj.
“The first is that once alerted, India immediately began large scale screening at all it’s international airports. Patients were tested for coronavirus using thermal scanners and those who were suspected of symptoms were immediately isolated and quarantined,” Nangia said.
Monitoring and restricting the mobility of passengers travelling from highly affected areas has also helped.
Apart from that, several notifications were issued on how one could be affected by coronavirus, what the symptoms were and which preventive measures could be adopted.
“High efficiency laboratories in Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi enabled the government to conduct the large scale screening process. Awareness, alertness and access are the reasons why India didn’t suffer as badly as its neighbours,” Nangia said. (IANS)
