We are a population of 1.39 Billion people and yet with just 2000 confirmed cases and recovery to death ratio of 3:1, we have done quite well for now. Yes, I know don't jinx it!!
Before we get to the reasons, lets first accept that any conspiracy to keep the numbers low is just NOT possible in a country like India...we are NOT China. We aren't that good in controlling our people or data and thank god for that.
Let's accept the data....to date, we have lost 58 lives to the virus.
Then the question of 2000 confirmed cases...surely that number is low say some. We have narrow testing, i.e. we test only those with travel history to affected areas or those who came into contact with a COVID-19 positive case. We have expanded it to include symptomatic healthcare workers and family members who are taking care of COVID-19 positive patients Yes, with such minimal testing it is quite possible that some are getting it and are getting cured out of it. After all, if they were to die, then they would be tracked and checked for CoViD!
The other theory is that we have a less virulent mutation....again, NOT true. The Indian genes are near identical to the Wuhan strain... so let's move on from this too!!
I was talking to a friend of mine who runs a hospital in Chennai and they haven't seen ANY critical case relating to this disease...yes, yes...as yet!! Look at this link (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries) and you will see that we have ZERO Serious/critical cases....0, nada....for a country of 1.39Billion people!!
Source: Scroll.in
Now let's look at some reasons
1. Lockdown - Whether you are a bhakt or a hater or central (a rare breed), you have to agree that the leadership in this regard was strong. Yes, we didn't handle the migrant population well but the lockdown is one possible reason. It is too early to judge the impact of the lockdown but early signs are good.
2. BCG Vaccination & Malaria - I got it and we gave it to all 3 of our kids to protect against TB. BCG isn't administered in most developed countries including Europe & US! Yes, don't have scientific proof as yet...but is this one reason.
3. Heat and Humidity - Yes there is NO evidence that a rise in heat and humidity will slow down the virus. But many experts still feel it is possible!! Qasim Bukhari and Yusuf Jameel, both from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, analyzed global cases of the disease caused by the virus, COVID-19, and found that 90% of the infections occurred in areas that are between 37.4 and 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 17 degrees Celsius) and with an absolute humidity of 4 to 9 grams per cubic meter (g/m3). (Absolute humidity is defined by how much moisture is in the air, regardless of temperature). In countries with an average temperature greater than 64.4 F (18 C) and an absolute humidity greater than 9 g/m3, the number of COVID-19 cases is less than 6% of the global cases.
Growing up in India, we always had one or the other have cough, cold, fever or breathlessness...my brother had severe allergies and we just went on with life. When I moved to the USA, it was the first time that I saw people panic when someone had a cough or cold. I remember a classmate of mine move away 2 seats as soon as he found out I had a running nose!!
Perhaps we have after all built better immunities!! Maybe...just maybe!!