Challenges remain, but signs of hope emerge in India

Breeding ground

Poverty-stricken slum-dwellers live amid poor sanitation and have low health awareness.

At the best of times, Dharavi is a breeding ground for disease, with clusters of houses lining a maze of narrow alleyways, many of them next to a huge open drain that runs through the area.

This community poses one of the biggest challenges to the Maharashtra government and the municipal authorities in Mumbai as they try to contain the virus.

By Tuesday, Maharashtra had reported 14,541 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 583 deaths from the disease. As of Monday, Dharavi had 632 reported cases.

To make matters worse, many people have ignored the lockdown, preferring to venture outdoors, rather than remain in crowded rooms.

A form of paranoia has set in among those stuck at home, as the lockdown threatens the Indian economy and people's livelihoods. Even so, imposing it was the only logical step.

Archana Majumdar, a senior doctor with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's Central Health Services, said, "It is the only way to put the brakes on the spread of the deadly virus, which has claimed thousands of lives worldwide.

"In view of the high population density, especially in cities, we must all strictly follow lockdown protocols. There are no two ways about it."

The number of coronavirus infections in India could soar in the next two months if preventive measures, including isolation and social distancing, are not followed strictly, she said, adding that aggressive action is needed to test as many people as possible, as well as to isolate and treat those who become infected.