Coronavirus cases in India climb towards 30,000; Pakistan mosques an evergrowing worry
29 April, 2020
India was nearing 30,000 coronavirus infections on Tuesday (Apr 28), second only to China in Asia, a reliable rise that would make it difficult to lift a almost six-week lockdown that ends this weekend, health officials plus some government leaders said.
Neighbouring Pakistan also recorded a jump in cases and deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, and there have been concerns that many people were gathering in mosques for Ramadan prayers despite strict rules on distancing.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has allowed some farm and professional activity to resume in less-affected rural areas following the shutdown of the economy left millions without work and short of food and shelter.
But with about 1,500 new cases every day on an average in the last week, the federal government is facing calls not to ease further and instead keep carefully the world's biggest shutdown in force beyond May 3, even though the economical distress is deepening.
"India is still on the ascending limb of the epidemic curve therefore to help ease the restrictions means the cases will multiply uncontrollably," said Dr S K Sarin, who leads a government group tackling the outbreak in the capital, New Delhi, one of the hotspots.
The number of folks infected with the coronavirus stood at 29,434, the health ministry said, a growth of just one 1,543 over the prior day. So far 934 persons have died, a tiny number compared with the United States and elements of Western Europe where thousands have died.
But India's healthcare systems are a lot more limited than those in developed countries and the fear is that a surge in cases of the kind seen in america and Italy could easily overwhelm public hospitals.
"We are recommending that the lockdown be extended after May 3. No mode of public transport be allowed between states," said Pramod Sawant, chief minister of Goa that draws thousands of tourists to its beaches from within India and overseas.
NO FACE MASKS OR DISTANCING
Pakistan had 14,079 cases including 301 deaths, 20 of these in the last day the best single-day toll so far. Pakistan, that your World Bank said could tip into recession in today's fiscal year, has opened 600 export industries, mainly in Punjab and Sindh province, to lessen the pain for businesses and workers.
A bigger problem was congregations at mosques for the reason that ground rules for such gatherings weren't being followed, a respected non-government organisation said.
Pakistan, under great pressure from religious groups, allowed persons to pray at mosques during the holy fasting month that started out the other day provided they kept six feet apart, wore face masks and didn't pray in the streets.
But Pattan Development Organisation said the guidelines were largely violated in the 194 mosques it surveyed in 15 cities and towns.
"In a lot more than 80 % of the mosques of Punjab and Islamabad, imams have didn't implement the government-clergy agreement during the first Taraveeh congregations on Friday evening," it said. Taraveeh identifies special prayers offered through the month.
Most worshippers didn't wear masks and few kept distance from the other person while a sizable number were praying on the streets, it said, warning many could be contracting the virus and carrying it to their homes.
In a lot more than two-thirds of the mosques monitored, children were also seen alongside their elders.
"This is indeed a very dangerous situation. Authorities and clerics ought to know that one infected person could cause massive harm," Pattan said.
Listed below are official government figures on the spread of the coronavirus in South Asia:
* India has reported 29,434 cases, including 934 deaths
* Pakistan has reported 14,079 cases, including 301 deaths
* Afghanistan has reported 1,703 cases, including 57 deaths
* Sri Lanka has reported 592 cases, including seven deaths
* Bangladesh has reported 6,462 cases, including 155 deaths
* Maldives has reported 200 cases and no deaths
* Nepal has reported 54 cases and no deaths
* Bhutan has reported seven cases no deaths
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