COVID-19: "Captain" Flags Community Transmission Worries In Punjab, Centre Says No

"Prediction by experts about spread of virus are horrendous and frightening," said Amarinder Singh

While the government reasserted on Friday that India is not in the community transmission stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said there were indications of his state "moving into" that step.

Most of the 27 positive cases reported in Punjab on Thursday, the maximum in a day, were cases of secondary transmission, the Chief Minister said, describing it as an indication of the state moving into the stage of community transmission. The situation could seriously worsen in the coming weeks, he told the media after a cabinet meeting.

"In Punjab, 27 cases are there with no travel history. Yes, it can be said that most of them are cases of community transmission," he said on a video conference with the media.

The central government asserted again today that India is not in that stage. "I reiterate, there is no community transmission yet across the country. We must all ensure we follow the lockdown and rules strictly," said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry at a daily briefing in Delhi.

Community transmission is Stage 3 of an outbreak, when the infections escalate and it is difficult to trace the source.

While Punjab has relatively fewer coronavirus cases compared to most other states, it cannot remain isolated as the pandemic spreads further, the Chief Minister said.

"Predictions by experts about the spread of the virus are horrendous and frightening," said Mr Singh, aka "Captain".

He ordered for the lockdown to be extended in the state till May 1 and said said the government may allow relief to farmers in some districts from the lockdown to harvest the winter-spring crop.

The central government, however, has said that India is still in the stage of local transmissions.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), after showing India at the "community stage" in its "situation report" on the coronavirus spread in countries, told NDTV today that it was an "error" that has been fixed. India has a cluster of cases and not community transmission, WHO has said.