Maharashtra: Curious case of Covid-19 in Dharavi

There is an outcry in the country over the deadly coronavirus and 5734 cases have been found positive so far with the government running various awareness programmes to help people combat the disease. The country is under 21 day lockdown to curb the spread of the pandemic.

Maharashtra is one of the worst hit states by the pandemic. On 1st April one positive case of novel coronavirus was reported from Dharavi in Mumbai. The infected patient, a 56 year-old man from Shahu Nagar in Dharavi, which is a densely populated area and known as the largest slum area in Asia, passed away at Sion Hospital where he was admitted. The number of Covid-19 cases in the slum has risen to thirteen, killing two.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope said , "so far the virus seemed to be classist but now it is being seen among the masses as well. It is a matter of concern once the virus reaches a congested place such as Dharavi."

Dharavi is one of the slums with large population residing in it. It is house for at least 15 lakh people — which inlcudes migrant workers from across the country. Some of the migrant workers have left for their village as soon as the lokdown was announced. These workers live in small shanties where social distancing is an alien topic for them.

The slum dwellers are one of the most high risk group to contract the infection because they can't sit at home all day. They survive on per day wages, so they will step out in search of work to feed their families. It is not possible for them to frequently wash their hands as they have to pay to buy a gallon of water. Residents step out to fill water, use toilet, buy food, smoke a cigarette, even to get some fresh air. Therefore, it is not possible to home quarantine people here. Due to very unhygienic conditions, these people are more prone to COVID-19. They cannot buy products sanitisers, hand wash, masks etc. to save themselves from the virus.

Currently at least 3,000 residents of the densely populated slum have been quarantined. The virus spreads in the slums, has left the authorities in for a tough fight now.