- Joined
- Apr 14, 2011
- Messages
- 16,864
- Points
- 113
So many bodies,' says ambulance driver as India struggles to stem COVID-19 death toll - ABC News
They were left with no choice but to undertake arduous journeys, often on foot, to go back to their villages located thousands of miles away. And that contributed to the spread of the virus.
A health worker collects nasal swab samples from homeless people for corona virus Rapid Antigen Testing in New Delhi, India, Sept. 22, 2020.NurPhoto via Getty Images
"We did have the unfortunate incidents of millions of laborers crisscrossing the country, which unfortunately carried this virus from cities to our rural areas, which were previously untouched," Kumar said.
The lockdown hit the economy hard. India's GDP went down 23.9% between April and June, and 121 million people lost their jobs between April and August.
By May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government had begun easing the lockdown, just as cases were going up.
Authorities decided they couldn't afford a further slowing down of the economy, and they have since continued to ease restrictions despite the surge in cases.
Workplaces and businesses have reopened, construction has restarted, markets are bustling and restaurants have opened their doors. Metro rail services in different cities have resumed as well.
The iconic Taj Mahal, India's biggest tourist attraction, also welcomed back tourists on Sept. 21, though in much smaller numbers, after closing its doors for an unprecedented six months.
But, as cases increase each day, India's health care system has been put to the test.
"Yes, it's a fact that in most of the big cities we are reaching a saturation point where most of the hospitals are choked to capacity. There is a scarcity of ventilators," said Kumar.
Precious oxygen has also been in short supply.
Dasgupta believes so far the health services have broadly managed to deal with the pandemic.
"If cases stabilize at this point we can assume that services can cope. If they continue to increase, it will become difficult," he said. "The other issue is that other services are affected, for example, routine services such as ante natal care, like immunization, post-natal care, treatment for those with chronic diseases. All of those have been affected to a varying extent, and that's often not part of the story."
It's those on the front lines of the battle who are most at risk. The Indian Medical Association claimed that at least 382 doctors have lost their lives fighting COVID-19 after the Indian government said they had no data on the deaths of health care personnel.
For Mohsin Khan, the ambulance driver, the danger of infection is ever-present. But he soldiers on.
"There was an ambulance driver in Chennai who got coronavirus and died. People have told me about this incident and asked me what I would do. I told them that I wouldn't leave this job. If God gives us courage, then we will continue," Khan said.
At 1.6%, officially India's mortality rate remains low. This means that of all the people with a positive COVID-19 test, only about 1.6% die of the disease. In comparison, the U.S. has a mortality rate of 2.9 % and in the United Kingdom, that rate is 10.4%.
But in India, the death rate is likely a massive undercount. It has been reported that people suffering from comorbidities, who die after contracting coronavirus, may not always be considered COVID-19 fatalities.
"This is quite contrary to the guidance of the World Health Organization," Dasgupta said. "While a state has full authority to review deaths, and indeed should do rigorous mortality analysis, it should be guided by the WHO's position on this matter."
In parliament, health minister Harsh Vardhan blamed "irresponsible societal behavior" for contributing to the spike in cases. He urged all Indians to follow proper hygiene, wear masks and practice social distancing.
People jostle for space in a crowded street leading to no social distancing at a weekly market near DDU Marg in New Delhi on Sept. 18, 2020.NurPhoto via Getty Images
"I think people are now getting restless and probably becoming less compliant with social distancing norms, masks and hygiene, than at the beginning of the lockdown," said Arvind Kumar. "I have been repeatedly requesting people that no matter how many months have passed, we have no choice but to continue to abide by social distancing norms."
It's not just COVID-19 fatigue. In a country like India that is densely populated, with crowded public areas, and cramped housing solutions, most people don't have the luxury of space.
In the narrow, crowded lanes of Old Delhi, the Mughal era walled city, social distancing is next to impossible.
Piyush Dixit, who runs an eatery in one of the narrow lanes, has seen his benches fill up since restaurants started opening up.
"Earlier, people were scared, they weren't coming out, they were trying to maintain distance from each other. But it's human nature, how long can you confine someone to one space?" Dixit told ABC News. "Cases are only going to rise. But people aren't going to wait inside anymore. Be it for work or for just going out, they will come out."
Dasgupta believes that people will have to learn to live with the virus for the foreseeable future.
"There's no end in sight as we speak since there are at this point a million active cases and current reproduction rate is 1, which is not bad but it means that a million cases will be transmitted to another million," said Dasgupta. "The most optimistic scenario is plateauing, but it's not going to end soon."
They were left with no choice but to undertake arduous journeys, often on foot, to go back to their villages located thousands of miles away. And that contributed to the spread of the virus.
A health worker collects nasal swab samples from homeless people for corona virus Rapid Antigen Testing in New Delhi, India, Sept. 22, 2020.NurPhoto via Getty Images
"We did have the unfortunate incidents of millions of laborers crisscrossing the country, which unfortunately carried this virus from cities to our rural areas, which were previously untouched," Kumar said.
The lockdown hit the economy hard. India's GDP went down 23.9% between April and June, and 121 million people lost their jobs between April and August.
By May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government had begun easing the lockdown, just as cases were going up.
Authorities decided they couldn't afford a further slowing down of the economy, and they have since continued to ease restrictions despite the surge in cases.
Workplaces and businesses have reopened, construction has restarted, markets are bustling and restaurants have opened their doors. Metro rail services in different cities have resumed as well.
The iconic Taj Mahal, India's biggest tourist attraction, also welcomed back tourists on Sept. 21, though in much smaller numbers, after closing its doors for an unprecedented six months.
But, as cases increase each day, India's health care system has been put to the test.
"Yes, it's a fact that in most of the big cities we are reaching a saturation point where most of the hospitals are choked to capacity. There is a scarcity of ventilators," said Kumar.
Precious oxygen has also been in short supply.
Dasgupta believes so far the health services have broadly managed to deal with the pandemic.
"If cases stabilize at this point we can assume that services can cope. If they continue to increase, it will become difficult," he said. "The other issue is that other services are affected, for example, routine services such as ante natal care, like immunization, post-natal care, treatment for those with chronic diseases. All of those have been affected to a varying extent, and that's often not part of the story."
It's those on the front lines of the battle who are most at risk. The Indian Medical Association claimed that at least 382 doctors have lost their lives fighting COVID-19 after the Indian government said they had no data on the deaths of health care personnel.
For Mohsin Khan, the ambulance driver, the danger of infection is ever-present. But he soldiers on.
"There was an ambulance driver in Chennai who got coronavirus and died. People have told me about this incident and asked me what I would do. I told them that I wouldn't leave this job. If God gives us courage, then we will continue," Khan said.
At 1.6%, officially India's mortality rate remains low. This means that of all the people with a positive COVID-19 test, only about 1.6% die of the disease. In comparison, the U.S. has a mortality rate of 2.9 % and in the United Kingdom, that rate is 10.4%.
But in India, the death rate is likely a massive undercount. It has been reported that people suffering from comorbidities, who die after contracting coronavirus, may not always be considered COVID-19 fatalities.
"This is quite contrary to the guidance of the World Health Organization," Dasgupta said. "While a state has full authority to review deaths, and indeed should do rigorous mortality analysis, it should be guided by the WHO's position on this matter."
In parliament, health minister Harsh Vardhan blamed "irresponsible societal behavior" for contributing to the spike in cases. He urged all Indians to follow proper hygiene, wear masks and practice social distancing.
People jostle for space in a crowded street leading to no social distancing at a weekly market near DDU Marg in New Delhi on Sept. 18, 2020.NurPhoto via Getty Images
"I think people are now getting restless and probably becoming less compliant with social distancing norms, masks and hygiene, than at the beginning of the lockdown," said Arvind Kumar. "I have been repeatedly requesting people that no matter how many months have passed, we have no choice but to continue to abide by social distancing norms."
It's not just COVID-19 fatigue. In a country like India that is densely populated, with crowded public areas, and cramped housing solutions, most people don't have the luxury of space.
In the narrow, crowded lanes of Old Delhi, the Mughal era walled city, social distancing is next to impossible.
Piyush Dixit, who runs an eatery in one of the narrow lanes, has seen his benches fill up since restaurants started opening up.
"Earlier, people were scared, they weren't coming out, they were trying to maintain distance from each other. But it's human nature, how long can you confine someone to one space?" Dixit told ABC News. "Cases are only going to rise. But people aren't going to wait inside anymore. Be it for work or for just going out, they will come out."
Dasgupta believes that people will have to learn to live with the virus for the foreseeable future.
"There's no end in sight as we speak since there are at this point a million active cases and current reproduction rate is 1, which is not bad but it means that a million cases will be transmitted to another million," said Dasgupta. "The most optimistic scenario is plateauing, but it's not going to end soon."
