How Well Are UP & Bihar Prepared to Fight COVID-19? Reality Check
In times of the coronavirus outbreak, we analyse the preparedness of the north and south Indian states.
Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
COVID-19 cases in India are increasing by the day. India is under complete lockdown. Again, southern states of India have proved that they are better prepared than the northern states as the fight against the coronavirus pandemic continues.
After registering its first coronavirus positive case on 30 January, India's tally reached 100 on 14 March, WHO chief in his press conference clearly said there is only one way to fight this pandemic and that is through rigorous testing. Through which people can be identified and isolated, and the spread can be controlled.
According to a report by IndiaSpend, states that conducted more tests registered more cases and are better prepared to fight COVID-19. Three out of the top five states that conducted most tests are from south India.
Kerala Outperforms All Other States
Kerala outperformed every other state by testing 137 people per million. Kerala has been seen fighting the coronavirus outbreak scientifically right from the beginning. Quarantine period nationally accepted is 14 days but Kerala kept it at 28 days, taking extra precautions. To create awareness among the migrant labourers, Kerala CM tweeted in Hindi and Bangla as well.
What About UP & Bihar?
It is surprising that states like UP and Bihar are not publishing their testing data consistently on the health ministry's website. A reminder that a quarter of the country’s population lives in UP and Bihar. UP is busy making Ram Mandir while Bihar is preparing for the election that is due this year. Even though UP CM Yogi Adityanath was seen appealing to the people to stay at home, just days before that singer Kanika Kapoor, who later tested positive for the coronavirus, attended a high profile party of national leaders exposing hundreds to the virus.
Till 26 march the number of cases registered by Bihar was only three. However, we shouldn’t go by these numbers, they don't tell the exact story. Migrant workers are entering Bihar without any testing, and AIIMS Patna got to know about a coronavirus case only after the patient was dead.
This shows that UP and Bihar need to strengthen their fight against COVID-19.
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