Has Community Transmission Started in India? Government and Experts differ in Views!

The Health Ministry first acknowledged the possibility of community transmission on March 28. The Health Ministry said that there was “Limited community transmission” happening in india. 

The Indian council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Health ministry researchers noted in a journal paper that there is evidence to denote the prevalence of community transmission in 36 districts across the 15 states. 

Similarly, the sentinel surveillance for community transmission undertaken by national task force members for COVID19 highlighted that 40 out of 102 patients who tested positive did not have any travel history or did not come with any person who tested positive. 

The ICMR has constantly maintained that community transmission has not started in India. On May 5, when the nation- wide COVID19 cases came very close to the 47,000 mark, the health minister affirmed that India has not reached stage 3 yet, the stage of community transmission. 

The Hindu cites that the compulsion to expand testing while the country is ill- equipped to do so, could be the reason behind government’s reluctance to acknowledge community transmission. 

However, government’s denial might further erode public trust in the government and healthcare system of the country. 

“In my view, the Tamil Nadu case, detected on March 18, points out the community transmission. A 20-year-old man travelled by train from Delhi and had no contact with any known infected person. He developed symptoms in Chennai and tested positive.  On March 19, a 52-year-old man died in Kolkata with lab confirmed Covid-19. His family denied any travel history or contact history. Another example of proven community transmission,” renowned virologist, Dr T Jacob John told The New Indian Express.

He also added that, “There are several other cases too. As an independent observer I know community transmission was inevitable, but evidence was documented by mid-March. The Government should acknowledge community transmission and implement appropriate personal protective measures strictly.”

Nevertheless, recently the government took an initiative to study 75 hotspot districts to confirm community spread. The study however, got delayed due to the non- availability of foolproof antibody tests. The Government will instead use the ELISA test to screen people for COVID 19. While, government and medical experts continue to delve and discuss the possibilities of community transmission in the country, it is important for states to continue following strict containment measures and follow social distancing norms to curb the spread of the virus.