NYT uncovers how Modi failed the Coronavirus test

For Modi the pandemic presented an opportunity from where he could have emerged in a stronger position both at home and abroad. Modi failed to seize this opportunity. The coronavirus cases in India have surpassed 150000 mark, making into the list of top-ten countries with the highest cases.

In an NYT opinion by Hartosh Singh Bal showed how lockdown has helped India to buy some time to prepare for the increase in cases as the economy opens, but Modi was unable to deliver upon this.

India along with other South Asian neighbors including Pakistan and Bangladesh has fewer cases in proportion to their population. These countries have also low-level of testing per million that raises doubts over its number of reported cases. Deaths related to coronavirus cases stands more than 4,300, a number quite smaller than other countries in Europe. Many say that this is due to the kind of demography in India. The median age in India is 29 years, 23 in Pakistan, and 27 in Bangladesh, while the median age is 38 in the United States, 40.5 in Britain and 45 in Italy.

One data shows that 73 percent of all coronavirus deaths have occurred among patients who were age 65 or older. Only 5 percent of the Indian population falls in this age group, as opposed to 16 percent of the American population. This could have been particularly helpful in the low number of deaths.

Hospitals are already running out of beds for critical patients. For the last two months, the country has seen the swarming of migrant workers on roads due to the abrupt lockdown. In May alone more than 150 migrant workers walking back home have been killed in road or train accidents.