Pandemic fatigue, absence of fear of disease leading to spike in cases in Maharashtra: Centre

March 07, 2021 10:30

The surge in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra could be due to lack of fear of the disease among people and pandemic fatigue, the Centre said on Saturday while asking the state to not let its guard down.

The observations were shared by the central government after a team of experts comprising Joint Secretary of Health Ministry Nipun Vinayak, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Deputy Director Sanket Kulkarni and National Institute of TB and Respiratory Diseases Professor Ashish Ranjan visited the state on March 1 and 2.

According to Health Ministry data, there are over 90,000 active coronavirus cases in Maharashtra.

"While the exact causes of surge are not known -- since laxity in COVID-19 behaviour is not specific to the state -- the possible factors are COVID-inappropriate behaviour due to lack of fear of disease, pandemic fatigue; miss outs and super spreaders; and enhanced aggregations due to recent gram panchayat elections, marriage season and opening of schools, crowded public transport, etc.," according to a report shared by the government.

It advised the state to continue contact tracing, surveillance and testing and ensure strict compliance of protocols.

"Don't let the guard down. Stay to basics of surveillance, contact tracing and testing. Micro plan and ensure strict compliance of protocols. Strengthen teams to ensure meticulous home quarantine, do focused testing of 100 per cent population in hotspot areas repeated at five days, and isolate positives to check spread," it said.

The government also observed that the virus is spreading to hitherto unaffected areas and most cases are asymptomatic.

"People are not forthcoming for strictly following quarantine or getting testing done. Sense is that the current wave is less virulent. The health machinery also may have become lax after cases came down after September.

"Some amongst the doctor fraternity - especially private - may not be counselling patients for testing or following protocols, dismissing it as flu. District/ State - wise participative plan, engaging the community may yield better results rather than knee-jerk reactions. Revenue machinery needs to take full charge," the government experts team noted. -- PTI

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