India Struggles to Contain Coronavirus, Enforce Lockdown in Sprawling City Slums

India faces an uphill struggle to curb coronavirus outbreaks in the slums of Mumbai's sprawling financial city, worrying that the virus is gaining momentum in crowded, unsanitary alleyways, where it is almost difficult to implement a complete lockdown.

India, the second most populated nation in the world after China with 1.3 billion inhabitants, has recorded more than 5,800 cases of the virus, including 169 fatalities, well away from high tolls in many European countries and the United States.

But the western state of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, has emerged as a hotspot with over 1,100 of those cases.

Mumbai's seaside slum Worli Koliwada is in a region where, according to the latest statistics, 184 cases were registered on Wednesday, up from 133 the previous day. In the region home to Mumbai's Dharavi, one of the largest slums in Asia, 12 had been found positive as of Wednesday, up from 8 the previous day.

Mumbai authorities say the city's high number of cases in part stems from more aggressive testing.

The local government says it has been able to quarantine more than 24,000 people to stem the outbreak, but officials privately acknowledge they face a daunting task in the slums.

"In housing societies, we need to trace a dozen people, but in slums, we must find hundreds," said one official with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has imposed a nationwide lockdown until April 14, saying it is the only way to avoid a catastrophe in India, where the public health system is weak.

But while police patrolled main roads on Thursday, food markets deep in Dharavi were open and humming, according to a Reuters photographer.

"The police charge at anyone who tries to venture out with sticks, but that has no effect," said bank employee Ajay Kewat in Dharavi

Yashwant Pandey, a police inspector, said it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep people inside.

"Sometimes they get angry when we tell them to go indoors and they threaten to start a protest," he said.

While many slum residents say they approve of the lockdown, they also said they were struggling to stay inside hot, cramped single-room slums and were worried about the economic toll.

"My daughter-in-law has to change her clothes, feed the 3-month-old child, so I have to sit outside. She feels awkward," said Ismail Mukam, who runs a tannery in Dharavi.

Throughout the wake of concerns of further illnesses, some Dharavi residents barricaded their alleyways with boards and stones, a cart and a truck.

"Please note - outsiders are not allowed," read one sign.

Source: Reuters