It has now been established that ruthless containment is the only way to beat COVID-19. On March 19, when six cases of COVID-19 were reported in Bhilwara district, we were left with no option but to declare a curfew.
There was a clear and present danger of Bhilwara entering the community transmission stage. The Brijesh Bangar Memorial Hospital in the city had become the epicentre of COVID-19 cases. Doctors and other health care workers had tested positive. The doctors had seen around 7,000 to 8,000 patients in the hospital, and possibly as many at their home clinics—and there was no record of the second set of patients. So, we estimated that at least 15,000 to 20,000 people had had direct contact with the hospital staff. If we had allowed people to move around and leave the district, we would have seen community transmission not only in Bhilwara, but also in other districts of Rajasthan and beyond state lines.
The borders of Bhilwara were sealed for private vehicles. Trains passed through, but did not stop in the district. Bus services were not allowed to function. Instructions were given to close all establishments employing more than 10 people. So, everything from industries to offices and brick kilns were shut down.
Initially, as the number of cases rose and Bhilwara accounted for majority of the cases in Rajasthan, it was extremely stressful for us. Bhilwara was being described as the Wuhan and Italy of Rajasthan. And, it was not a wrong assessment. The doctors at the Bangar Hospital had seen thousands of patients, and we had no means of tracking them down. My team and I did not go home for around a week as we rolled out containment measures.
Denne historien er fra April 26, 2020-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 26, 2020-utgaven av THE WEEK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Trump And The Crisis Of Liberalism
Although Donald Trump's election to a non-consecutive second term to the US presidency is not unprecedented—Grover Cleveland had done it in 1893—it is nevertheless a watershed moment.
What Will It Take To Clean Up Delhi Air?
IT IS ASKED, year after year, why Delhi’s air remains unbreathable despite several interventions to reduce pollution.
Men eye the woman's purse
A couple of months ago, I chanced upon a young 20-something man at my gym walking out with a women’s sling bag.
When trees hold hands
A filmmaker explores the human-nature connect through the living root bridges
Ms Gee & Gen Z
The vibrant Anuja Chauhan and her daughter Nayantara on the generational gap in romance writing
Vikram Seth-a suitable man
Our golden boy of literature was the star attraction at the recent Shillong Literary Festival in mysterious Meghalaya.
Superman bites the dust
When my granddaughter Kim was about three, I often took her to play in a nearby park.
OLD MAN AND THE SEA
Meet G. Govinda Menon, the 102-year-old engineer who had a key role in surveying the Vizhinjam coast in the 1940s, assessing its potential for an international port
Managing volatility: smarter equity choices in uncertain markets
THE INDIAN STOCK MARKET has delivered a strong 11 per cent CAGR over the past decade, with positive returns for eight straight years.
Investing in actively managed low-volatility portfolios keeps risks at bay
AFTER A ROARING bull market over the past year, equity markets in the recent months have gone into a correction mode as FIIs go on a selling spree. Volatility has risen and investment returns are hurt.
