Opinion: What Kerala can teach us all about flattening the curve
Kerala earned global recognition when its government devised an ingenious, low-cost, hands-on approach to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.
Now, the southern Indian state faces an even bigger challenge as thousands of returning citizens threaten to spark a second wave of Covid-19 cases.
The state of 33 million acted quickly to halt community transmission, recording only 524 and four deaths over the past four months.
It recorded India’s first case on January 30, when a medical student returned from virus-hit Wuhan.
Surveillance squads made up of volunteers, district officials and local police and daily random phone calls kept 175,000 people inside their homes obeying strict quarantine rules during a peak in cases in April.
Kerala has the largest number of contacts traced for each single person. At one point we had more than 175,000 people in quarantine
But a resumption of international flights last week and people crossing the border via road has triggered a fresh bout, with at least three imported cases.
"We have been getting our Covid-19 care centres ready because we knew people would be coming [home] from overseas, just like we got ready in January for students arriving from Wuhan," senior official Dr Amar Fettle, who oversees public health emergencies, told The National.
The state faces the prospect of about 450,000 Keralites returning home in the coming months, including many from the Gulf.
Although testing was put in place in many of the countries they are departing from, including the UAE, the nature of the virus makes it difficult to catch those without symptoms.
Ambulances are waiting on the tarmac to take passengers with any symptoms directly to government hospitals.
Batches of 20 are allowed to disembark at a time to keep crowds at immigration and baggage retrieval at a minimum.
All passengers except for the elderly and pregnant women are taken to government quarantine centres.
“We have made plans for every single action starting with announcements about the new disembarking system 45 minutes before the aircraft lands,” Dr Fettle said.
The measures will require diligence and patience in densely populated India.
Across the country, more than 75,000 cases have been reported with 2,440 deaths and 24,900 recoveries.
Kerala had the country's highest infections when a nationwide lockdown began on March 25, and was the first to report no new cases on May 1.
Doctors fixed leaks in handling the coronavirus outbreak as soon as they found that asymptomatic travellers from overseas had spread the disease to family and friends.
Transporting passengers directly to isolation centres began in March, coupled with widespread testing even of asymptomatic travellers and tracing all high-risk contacts.
“We anticipated an inherent resistance to government directives because at that time corona was something distant, it happened abroad and not in India,” Dr Fettle said.
“So we made sure strict quarantine rules were followed. Kerala has the largest number of contacts traced for each single person. At one point we had more than 175,000 people in quarantine.”
Community vigilance was drilled in with a "Break the chain" campaign.
“For public anywhere in the world you can’t only have a velvet glove, you need a stick too. We have citizen volunteers working with police to monitor cases in homes," Dr Fettle said.
"We would give them surprise calls to be sure they stayed home.
“In a media blitz we kept hammering in that it was to save 'your own life and for your own family’s security.' This was not to save Kerala, India, the world or the universe.”
More than 200 passengers on a Dubai-bound Emirates flight were offloaded in March after officials were alerted about a British tourist who did not disclose he had tested positive.
The tourist and 19 companions had broken out of quarantine in a hill resort but were moved to a government facility and the flight was permitted to take off.
We have told people if they are not responsible, we will clamp down again
Apart from early detection, social support has been key in a state with three million migrant workers.
Shelters were built and community kitchens readied to prepare meals during the 50-day lockdown.
“You can have strict rules like making face masks compulsory but it has to be a people’s campaign,” he said.
“You need to empower, motivate and boost the public’s morale to encourage participation.”
Information about each household is collected by more than 26,000 Asha – accredited social health activist – workers.
This feeds into a primary healthcare system with a network of junior health inspectors, district officials and doctors.
“Literally speaking, no house is left unnoticed,” said Dr Sachin K C, who manages a Covid-19 control room in Kannur district.
“Any house you pick is designated to an Asha worker in the field who reports to the medical officer at the healthcare centre. This surveillance system is in place throughout Kerala and in an epidemic, we just made the network stronger.”
“Even if there is a small symptom in contact cases, the person is taken for testing.”
The state has begun easing measures to allow shops and businesses to open only in areas cleared as green zones, where there is a drop in daily new cases and a rise in patients discharged.
Only 32 patients are being treated in hospital, with 31,143 under home isolation and 473 admitted in isolation centres.
But with more than 400,000 non-resident Keralites registering their intent to return, the numbers are set to rise.
“Going forward, we have challenges not just from the air passengers but interstate road travellers and people may again show a scant disregard for rules and that is a big headache,” Dr Fettle said.
“But we are anticipating this. The lockdown will be relaxed very gradually in stages. We have told people if they are not responsible, we will clamp down again.”
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
more from Janine di Giovanni
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
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Abramovich London
A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.
A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.
Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.
Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
SPECS
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Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff
By Sean Penn
Simon & Schuster
Dubai Rugby Sevens, December 5 -7
World Sevens Series Pools
A – Fiji, France, Argentina, Japan
B – United States, Australia, Scotland, Ireland
C – New Zealand, Samoa, Canada, Wales
D – South Africa, England, Spain, Kenya
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Mountain%20Boy
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Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
Paris%20Agreement
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Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
BLACKBERRY
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Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
