Second wave, serious concern

The second wave of Coronavirus infections that is sweeping through the country is of deep concern. The number of daily new infections is not only surging but is also doing so at a faster pace than during the first wave. On Saturday, India registered 93,077 cases over a 24-hour period to return to the top slot in the world with regard to daily infections. It is now in a worse situation than the US (70,024) and Brazil (69,662). With a seven-day rolling average of 69,000, India stands second to Brazil and is likely to go past the latter as numbers there are falling now. The surge in the current wave is faster too. Consider this: it has taken just 20 days for the daily tally to rise from 20,000 to 80,000 during the second wave compared to the 64 days it took for a similar spurt in the first wave. Maharashtra continues to be the worst hit in the country with around 50,000 daily infections. The situation in around 11 states, including Karnataka, is grim. Karnataka’s total tally is poised to cross a million in a few days.

It is not just the surging numbers during the second wave that are alarming. Experts say that a new ‘double mutant’ Covid variant, where two mutations come together in the same virus, and the UK Kent variant, could be fuelling the second wave. Scientists say that these variants infect human systems more easily and also re-infect people. Worryingly, this time around, children are falling prey to Covid-19 infections in larger numbers. Nearly 750 children under the age of 10 were infected in March in Bengaluru. Over 1,000 children in this age group were infected during March in the state. That children are getting increasingly prone to infections is evident from the fact that daily infections among them are rising. On Thursday, 77 children were infected by the Coronavirus. In all this, one silver lining is, the number of deaths due to Covid is still low in the second wave, unlike in the first.

Although the threat posed by the virus and its variants is far greater during the second wave, people seem to be less bothered. Few are wearing masks in public places and almost every political leader is strutting around unmasked or with their mask dangling around the chin. What is the message they are sending? The government must strictly enforce masking and social distancing. Public gatherings whether at the Kumbh, election rallies, markets or in playfields, should be restricted. The government must lead from the front but we, the people, need to conduct ourselves with greater responsibility. Public laxity on masking and social distancing is fuelling the second wave.