COVID-19

Two stories--with different endings. The first, from November 11th, 2020.  Suma, a 38 year old Hakki Pikki tribal woman---the Hakki Pikkis are a nomadic community originally from Gujarat but now settled in Karnataka over the past several generations---was discovered in an almost comatose state by a young health volunteer while doing a COVID survey. Suma was critically ill with chronic anaemia.  She was immediately taken to the local government hospital from where they decided to shift her to a “big hospital” in the city since they were ill-equipped to deal with the case. Unfortunately, and not surprisingly, the “big hospital”…

[In Part 1 of this series we saw that sex workers in Bengaluru are facing starvation and violence due to the COVID lockdown. In Part 2, we explore why they haven't been able to access aid and support, and how this could change.]  “What is there to feel sorry? They have created their own problems out of greed and lust” says Shamim, waiting for a relative near the Majestic bus station. Shamim was responding to my question: “Where are the women who used to hang out here at night? Any idea how these poor souls are managing?” He hesitantly confesses that…

When the pandemic broke, everyone feared Dharavi - with its dense population - could be tough to safeguard against the virus. However, consistent efforts by authorities and locals ensured that the area recovered drastically. The number of new cases emerging has been steadily vacillating for as low as  just 4-6 cases per day since the beginning of November.   Of the 3606 cases of COVID-19 registered in the area, about 3237 people have recovered and only 58 are undergoing treatment currently, according to information provided by the Assistant Municipal Commissioner (G-North ward) Kiran  Dighavkar.  While this may be good news on…

The approaching festival of lights was beginning to bring people out shopping to CP, Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and every other market. But alarm bells started ringing when the daily COVID figures crossed the 6000 mark on November 3rd and stayed that way for the next few days. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suspected it could be a third wave of the deadly virus. The timing was particularly worrisome. It was a double whammy, dampening the festival spirit and raising fears of poor air quality accelerating the spread of COVID-19 spread and its effects. The number of cases in the capital has surged again. Hospitals are…

With Diwali just around the corner, the debate around allowing the sale and use of crackers has once again taken centre stage. Apart from the alarming levels of air pollution, another consideration this year has been the spread of COVID-19. Since it is a respiratory illness, the overarching argument against crackers this year has been further strengthened by the fact that it could worsen the condition of those already afflicted by the virus. Several studies have already established the positive correlation between air pollution and COVID-morbidity.  In a recent study, six researchers from different European institutes have said that 17…

The numbers have finally begun to come down. Just as residents of Chennai had assumed that the daily COVID-19 figures would forever hover around the high 900s or low 1000s, the virus has shown signs of relenting. The statistics have taken a turn for the better, with the city registering around 750 numbers each day. The number of containment zones is less than 20. All of these are something to rejoice about. Unfortunately for us, many in the city have begun to assume that the pandemic belongs to the past. That this is a very foolish notion will be made…

Power tariff hiked, water tariff hike likely The KERC (Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission) has approved an average increase in power tariff by 40 paise per unit. The new rates will come into effect from the first meter reading date falling on or after November 1. The FKCCI (Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industries) warned that many industries would shut down due to the tariff hike. The Kassia (Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association) said the hike would be particularly disastrous for MSMEs as they struggle to revive operations amid the pandemic and a severe slowdown in the economy. The…

What do COVID-19 figures in October and November tell us about the city's preparedness to fight the virus. Since June, the Maharashtra government has allowed a gradual unlocking of services in Mumbai. Non-essential shops, salons, and spas were permitted to open towards the end of June; and by August, malls had re-opened. On October 5, the government allowed restaurants and food courts to open and the Railways were instructed to increase the capacity on local trains. Many experts forewarned that these unlocking measures, while essential for the economy, would lead to another spike of cases in the city. But a…

Chennai has seen a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in October with the number of active cases on November 1st at 7005. The city has till date seen over two lakh cases since the reporting of the first ever case in March. The response to the pandemic has been dynamic, and there has been an evolving strategy in place with regard to testing, treatment and preventive measures. Here is a round-up of the latest protocols in place. Testing protocols Testing protocols as devised by the Indian Council for Medical Research have been adhered to since the start of…

Ever since lockdown norms were eased, Chennai’s COVID tally has seen significant variations. Over the past few weeks, however, Chennai has been witnessing less than 1,000 cases in a consistent manner. What can we infer from the numbers? Is Chennai on course to see a continuous fall in the numbers?  Here are some of the key takeaways based on an analysis of data from August to October: Fluctuating number of positive cases per day  There has been a rise and fall pattern observed in the number of cases in Chennai over the last three months; if we take 1000 as…