In a recent report The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that India has entered the third stage of transmission that is community transmission of corona virus. However, later it was clarified that the report had an error and it was “cluster of cases” and not community transmission. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Union Health Ministry have strongly denied the statements saying that India has reached the third stage of corona virus which means the infection increases and it becomes difficult to trace the source or how the person was infected, without any travel history.
ICMR has also requested media to not over interpret the information and be the root cause of rumours among people. Lav Aggarwal, joint secretary, Health Ministry has given the statement saying that if corona virus reached third stage, they will be the first one to inform and will ask people to be especially alert, but in present scenario there is no community transmission.
Government also clarified that, for the third stage of transmission there should be 20-30 percent of the corona virus which are from unknown origin or difficult to track the source. Once the third stage of corona virus start the outbreak will spread in clusters and it will be difficult to trace the source. Corona virus cases in India are rising at an alarming rate reporting as many as 6,412 positive cases and 199 deaths till today.
A latest study by ICMR suggests that India may have entered the stage of community transmission. The study is based on random sampling tests conducted on the people with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), which indicates a rise in corona virus cases among such individuals without any travel history. In the data compiled by ICMR, 39.2% of SARI patients had no travel history nor had contact with a positive patient. These patients were from 36 districts of 15 states. The ICMR study is based on weekly tests conducted for five weeks between February 15 and April 2. Between March 22 and March 28, out of 2,877 corona positive tests, 48 and between March 29 to April 2, 54 out 2,069 SARI patients were found positive of corona virus. Altogether out of 5,911, 104 SARI patients have been tested positive for corona virus which was from 52 districts in 20 states and union territories. The chances of getting infected among SARI patients increased from 0 to 2.6% between March 14 to April 2.
Not confirmed but community transmission may have reached in some parts but most of the parts of India are currently at stage 2 of corona virus pandemic. According to the doctors the spike in corona virus cases could be because of the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi last month. All those who attended the event or came in contact of those who participated are quarantined. Doctors have requested people to support them as they are also living in fear since they are also at a higher risk of catching infection.
However, the 21 day lockdown has helped the spread of virus to a large extent. WHO has currently denied the community transmission stage in the country but proper measures should be taken to even stop the alarming rate of increasing cases. PM Narendra Modi will be interacting with chief ministers via video conferencing about the extension of lockdown after April 14. The best possible decision will be taken by the government keeping all the aspects in mind, the only duty of the citizens is to stay home and practice the safety measures.
