In a media briefing on the novel coronavirus situation in India, Lav Agarwal, joint secretary of Department of Health and Family Welfare, emphasized the need to not panic, and also for a combined effort by the people and the media to work in collaboration with the health ministry and states to follow the required protocol- which includes maintaining hand and respiratory hygiene as well as ‘social distancing’.
The panel also assured the audience that the cases in India have been responding well to symptomatic treatment, which implies that they are mild cases and need not be a cause of worry. Treating symptoms such as fever, cough or respiratory problems have been successful in the reported patients until now.
Community v/s Local Transmission
Lav Agarwal highlighted that India has been fortunate to not have witnessed any ‘community transmission’ yet.
What it has seen instead is ‘local transmission’ — which means the cases have remained within close family members or acquaintances. When the circle becomes so huge that it becomes impossible to trace each other, then it would qualify as community transmission.
He added that the ministry is spontaneously adapting to whatever the situation demands, and is currently focusing on enhancing the country’s ‘core capacity’, which includes:
- Point-of-entry surveillance
- Logistics, equipment and beds in hospitals
- Sufficient lab testing capacity
- Mitigating community risk
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