COVID-19

The number of Coronavirus cases in Punjab shot up to 14 on March 21st. More than half of these individuals were infected after coming in contact with a single international traveler, 70-year-old Baldev Singh, who refused to remain in self-isolation upon his return to the state. Singh died from heart failure on March 18th and was found to be Coronavirus positive only after his death. Baldev was a priest in a Gurudwara at Pathlawa village in Nawanshahr (renamed Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar) district and had gone to Germany and Italy in February. He returned to Delhi on March 6th. Along…

These are difficult times, and the world around us seems headed towards a dystopia of sorts. As discussed in our earlier interview with Dr Kalyanasundaram, Bengaluru-based Consultant Psychiatrist and an Honorary Adviser to the Bengaluru Branch of Richmond Fellowship Society, the risk of mental health issues has increased sharply. Indeed, we are already beginning to see signs among people caught in the situations created by the outbreak of coronavirus – corporate professionals struggling to get all work done from home, parents trying to keep their kids occupied and entertained all day, caregivers trying to explain the situation to the most…

Coronavirus or COVID-19 needs no introduction. Anyone with access to any form of media today is aware of the current spread of the virus as also the various steps different governments and countries are taking to prevent further outspread. At the time of publishing this interview, the total number of confirmed cases in India stood at 298, with 4 people having died due to the virus. The concern in India currently is that the virus has reached a stage where it will start spreading exponentially if proper care is not taken at both personal and governmental levels. In the midst…

As most of us are maintaining social distancing and staying at home, we may also miss taking our morning and evening walks in parks. If not our neighbourhood parks, the Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh, GKVK or JP park for sure. But these tough times call for strict measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.  To address the issue of citizens accessing parks and green spaces, BBMP has issued the following advisory: BBMP understands that the closing of all gyms, sporting and other facilities has caused a lot of inconvenience. However, as a responsible citizen of Bengaluru, you must appreciate that…

When fears about COVID-19 abound, the super-rich can afford to isolate themselves. They are stocking up food, sanitisers, toilet paper, and also checking into resorts in exotic locations. Some are also chartering private jets, taking along personal doctors, nurses and support staff, just in case. Little is the world thinking about those who are fighting to contain the disease. Our pourakarmikas, BWSSB workers, ayahs, nurses and those who work at burial grounds and crematoriums, have little choice. They must work, no matter what - all to ensure the city is clean and the rest of us are protected from the…

While the Indian government has shared information on precautions and preventive measures to tackle the Covid virus pandemic, there are specific actions that communities with residents living close to each other can take. Here is an FAQ to address questions from apartments, paying guest accommodations, and group housing quarters: What care should security personnel and housekeeping staff take? For the safety of security personnel who interact with a large number of visitors, apartments should ensure they wear masks and have access to soap/water and sanitiser solutions. Public health officials advise that the elevator should be operated only by one security…

From six confirmed cases to 31 (as on March 6th), it has taken less than a week, even as suspected cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue to be reported across cities every day. How to contain the spread in a country of a billion plus, with obvious infrastructural and surveillance capacity challenges, is one of the greatest concerns in domestic public health circles today.  The Indian administration has taken a number of steps over the last one week to ensure that the spread of the disease can be arrested. Primary schools in the capital have been asked to…