As cases surge, Himachal braces for long-drawn battle

State has authorised DCs to extend lockdown, if needed, till June 30

SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA: Himachal was on the brink of being declared Covid-free when the state witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases from May 4.

Confident that the state had seen the last of the deadly disease, Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur had said the state will become Covid-free by May 5. However, it seems the state is in for a long-drawn battle as the Covid-19 tally of the state has already crossed the 200-mark and cases continue to increase relentlessly.

THE SECOND WAVE

Himachal had reported its first Covid-19 case on March 20 in Kangra. On April 23, the toll stood at 40 cases, including one fatality. It seemed the worst was behind the state, when no cases were reported till May 3. However, the spell was broken after Himachal opened its borders to facilitate the return of those stranded in other states, triggering a second wave.

From May 13, the Shramik special train also started ferrying

Himachal residents from Mumbai, which significantly contributed to the spike in cases.

FASTER DOUBLING, SLOWER RECOVERY

Special secretary (health) Nipun Jindal said at present, the doubling rate of Covid-19 cases in Himachal was 5.9 days, which is troubling as the national average is 15.1 days. Just a week ago, the doubling rate of the disease in Himachal was 10.7 days.

The doubling rate sharply increased after a sudden spike in cases after May 20, when Himachal’s Covid-19 tally crossed the 100-mark, two months (61 days) after it recorded its first case.

However, the 200-mark was breached within four days or 65 days after the first case was reported in the state.

Over the week, 125 people have tested positive for the disease in the state. “The fatality rate of the state is 2.38% against the national average of 2.57%,” Jindal said, adding the recovery rate was 30% against the national average of 41%. The state’s testing rate is 3,554 people per million, better than the national testing rate of 2,488 per million, Jindal said.

90% CASES ARE RETURNEES

Around 90% of the cases recorded during the second surge are returnees. Most of them have travelled back from Mumbai and Delhi. Others came back from Chennai, Bangalore, Goa, West Bengal and Gujarat.

As per government data, around 1.30 lakh migrants have returned to the state since April.

The silver lining amid the grim readings is that most of the returnees found positive were institutionally quarantined and there is no community transmission. Only one case of community transmission has been reported from Chamba where a Covid-19 positive man infected four others.

WORST HIT & COVIDFREE DISTRICTS

Hamirpur, Kangra and Una are the worst hit districts in the state accounting for 68% of the cases. Till date, Hamirpur has reported 63 cases, followed by Kangra with 59 cases and Una with 30 cases.

WHAT LIES NEXT?

The Covid-19 cases in the state are likely to increase in the coming days. Till date, the state has tested 28,000 samples for Covid-19.

Given, the large number of returnees who are yet to be tested, there seems to be no relief in the near future. The state government has now authorised district magistrates to extend the lockdown, if needed, till June 30.