HOW AN OUTBREAK GRIPS A COUNTRY

When does an outbreak become a matter of concern? A look at the various stages that an outbreak takes and what can be done to counter it

STAGE I DIRECT CASES

■ This happens when the cases of outbreak are imported and not of local origin. In such a scenario, only a person who has travelled to a country where an outbreak is underway tests positive for the disease.

■ For instance, say if an Italian tourist tests positive after they land in India while there’s an outbreak in Italy. It will be considered Stage I of the outbreak as the tourist picked up the infection abroad and brought it here.

STAGE II CLUSTER TRANSMISSIONS

■ This happens when there is local transmission of cases reported, which means that a section of people who are testing positive have come in clear contact with someone who has travel history to an affected nation.

■ For instance, if a cab driver shows symptoms for Covid-19, authorities are able to track down exactly which passenger of his transmitted the disease to him. This is the stage where India is right now.

STAGE III COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION

■ This is the most dangerous stage where the outbreak becomes uncontrollable. From here on, when a person(s) gets infected but the source of infection is not known as the person neither has a travel history nor has come in contact with an affected person.

■ In other words, people who have never travelled nor have no clear contact history with a laboratory positive case start testing positive.

■ This is the stage where the governments of the affected countries are forced to resort to large-scale lockdowns across its cities and regions to contain the outbreak.

STAGE IV EPIDEMIC

■ This is when an infection becomes widespread, often suddenly, over a massive geographical area. This happens when there are enough infected people and susceptible people present in the region.

■ For example, when the disease is becoming rampant in a state or the entire country, like it did with China, and is now rapidly spreading across the world to countries like Italy, Iran and Spain.