India's coronavirus cases have seen a surge over the past few weeks, with the country breaking records for one-day increase in cases. With a majority of people giving little or no attention to mask discipline and social distancing measures, the problem is only compounding. On Aug 30, India reported the highest single-day tally in coronavirus cases. Here are some of the reasons why India is seeing a massive surge in the number of cases.
Increased testingIndia has seen more than 70,000 cases being added every day for the past few days. This has been alarming for the country. But experts also attribute this to a boost in testing. Testing has made it possible for more cases to get detected.
Opening up of the economyThe surge in coronavirus cases also comes as the government continues to lift lockdown restrictions in order to get the economy back on track. With millions of job losses, and a sharp contraction seen recently in core sectors of the economy, the government has started unlocking in a phased manner to boost the economy and get the engines of the economy running. As crowds gather, the chances of spread become higher.
Growing mask fatigueIndians have lost the motivation to wear masks and mask discipline has been lost. Despite police keeping a strict vigil over people not wearing masks and urging them to wear one, there are still many who flout rules. Mask discipline is important in the fight against COVID-19 according to the WHO
Unnecessary gatheringsThe virus has now spread to smaller cities and rural areas. Social gatherings with a limited number of people are allowed but people continue to flout this rule. While the WHO asks repeatedly to avoid get-togethers, many people are doing just that. This is leading to the spread of this communicable disease.
A second wave?Although nobody has declared a second wave in any part of India including Delhi, there is a possibility that several areas might already be on the brink of a second wave.The resurgence of coronavirus has been witnessed in several countries, including those that were lauded for controlling the pandemic better than others. Countries like Italy, Spain, and Germany were worst hit by the resurgence of the virus.As per experts, this recent spike in cases could be the beginning of the second wave of outbreak in Delhi.
No central coordination between states and CentreDuring the initial period of unlocking, Centre granted permission to states saying they were free to take decisions for their respective states.But now, with unlock 4.0 guidelines in place, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said the state governments should not be imposing any local lockdown outside containment zones without consultation with the central government.