If the most recent trends gathered after painstakingly analysing the progressive Covid-19 counts in the country is nothing but a baffling set of figures even for the widely-acknowledged virology experts, Tuesday has been remarkably troubling. Cases have been on rise and by now, the country has accustomed itself to the virus’s aggressive behaviour. Nevertheless, Tuesday’s very-sharp rise with 3900 positive additions and 195 deaths over the preceding day has sounded the alarm bell to a further high pitch, raising question whether the worst is yet to arrive. It will perhaps not take a long time to know what’s really is in store and a couple of weeks will suffice, but, the unprecedented surge at this late hour of lockdown when preparations are in full swing to welcome normalcy will act as a solid damper.
Various public health experts including virologists are of opinion that the worst that was feared which is coming into effect of the ‘exponential curve’ has finally arrived and a non-technical explanation of it can be something directly opposite to the much-sought after goal of ‘flattening the curve’. For the common people, the news will be distressing indeed and the fear that this may mould the immediate decisions regarding the lockdown is gradually gaining foothold. In this regard there are two sets of data and opinions that, without doubt, have added to the state of confusion. If on one hand Union Health Ministry is delivering words of assurance that major part of the calamity has been averted due to strict enforcement of the lockdown since March 25 and the doubling time of total infections is now 12 days compared to 3.4 days before lockdown, quite a few number of experts are of the views that are markedly different from the above. They are of the opinion that so far as India’s exact burden of coronavirus is concerned, greater part of this essential data is still unknown and there are high chances that they may be much higher than the currently recorded figures. Although this opinion apparently sounds to be assumptive, it can’t be thrown aside so easily as it’s factually correct that vis-à-vis the size and density of population, number of tests, so far, had not only been grossly inadequate, but also been lacking in uniformity.
In context of this late negative development, it’s thus time to get back to the basics of search, test and isolation. It must be realised that a rigorous lockdown implementation or its prolonging can’t be the only solution to this extraordinary crisis. A further casual attitude to the aforesaid fundamentals will only mean welcoming of more troubled times. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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