Rapid screening, strict monitoring of Covid trends helped Himachal flatten the curve
SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA: As its neighbouring states struggle to control the Covid-19 spread, efforts made by Himachal Pradesh (HP) to flatten the curve could become a template to contain the outbreak.
With just one active case till Sunday, HP has reported 40 cases, including one fatality and 34 recoveries. Four have been moved out of the state for treatment.
No case has been reported in the state in the last 10 days. Also, six out of 12 districts have reported no cases in the green zone.the state will be officially declared coronavirus-free if no new case is reported up to May 5.
INITIAL CASES AND THE SURGE
The first two cases, a 32-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman, were from the Shahpur sub-division of Kangra, HP’S most populous district. Both had a travel history to an affected foreign country.
The third case, a Us-returned Tibetan man from Mcleodganj in Dharamsala, who tested positive on March 23, died of acute respiratory distress in hospital.
No fresh case was reported till the end of March, but on April 2 three Tablighi Jamaat workers from Una district who attended the Markaz at Delhi’s Nizamuddin tested positive. The situation seemed to be spiralling out of control as the number rose to 24 within a week with Una and Solan identified as hotspots.
However, after the count reached 40 on April 23, no new case was reported.
THE RESPONSE
The state got into war mode the day it reported its first two cases, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, who also holds the health portfolio, told the Hindustan Times. Though section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code prohibiting a gathering of more than four people was already in force in vulnerable pockets, a statewide curfew was imposed on March 23, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a countrywide lockdown.
Schools and religious institutions had been closed earlier with hospitals only treating emergency cases.six hospitals were designated for Covid-19 treatment, Thakur added. Rigorous contact mapping of all the positive cases was also done.
A new challenge emerged when those with Jamaat links started testing positive. After a warning that all Markaz attendees disclose their status or face action, more than 1,000 such people and their primary contacts were quarantined.
Strict vigil was maintained at the borders and anyone entering HP was kept in institutional quarantine for 28 days. Panchayati raj representatives were entrusted with the task to inform the authorities about anyone concealing information about outsiders in hiding.
Authorities in HP shared contact numbers of their counterparts with people stranded outside the state who called the Himachal helpline number for help.
Strict curbs were imposed on the movement of vehicles and persons even during curfew relaxation with a curfew e-pass system launched.
IDENTIFYING CASES
The health department adopted a three-pronged strategy, said director, National Health Mission (NHM) Nipun Jindal. It activated an integrated disease surveillance programme to strengthen and decentralise laboratories, allowing authorities to monitor the disease trend and response to the outbreak.
Four labs conducted Covid-19 tests. Rapid response teams were pressed into service after years.
The government also launched a massive active case finding campaign. More than 8,000 two-member teams moved door-to-door to screen people for influenza-like illness (ILI), connecting with about 70 lakh people.
Of this, authorities identified 10,000 with ILI symptoms, who are now being tested for Covid-19.the strategy even found favour with PM Modi, who told other states to emulate the same.
Testing was also ramped up due to 15 mobile sample collection vans.
The authorities also arranged for home delivery of essential items including medicines, through 1,706 authorised shops and vendors, and were able to reach out to about 12.82 lakh people. Ration was also provided to migrant labourers and poor people with the help of various NGOS.
THREAT NOT OVER
However, the war is not yet over, especially after HP opened its borders allowing residents stranded outside to return.
More than 95,000 people were estimated to have entered the state in the last one week, with the situation again seeming to spiral out of control for three days as inter-state borders remained choked with thousands queuing up to cross the border. They have been ordered to self-quarantine for 28 days.
As many entered without routine screening the government was forced to suspend more e-curfew passes. People entering the state now will be screened with the help of infrared scanners at the border.