India Has History Of Eradicating Two Pandemics, Can Tackle COVID-19 Too, Says WHO

Reposing faith in India, Executive Director, World Health Organisation (WHO), Michael J Ryan on Tuesday said the country will be able to effectively tackle the coronavirus pandemic because it eradicated two pandemics, polio and smallpox in the past.

While the path to eradicating the deadly novel coronavirus would not be easy, India could pave the way and teach the world how targeted public intervention can contain it, said Ryan in a video conference with journalists.

“There is a need in the number of labs where a surge is seen. India is a very populous country and the future of this virus will be considered in a very highly and densely populated country. India led the world in eradicating two pandemics, small-pox and polio, so India has a tremendous capacity,” he said.

According to the WHO, the number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 has exceeded 3,30,000 already, with the numbers in India soaring steadily as well. 

Thirty states in India are under complete lockdown even as people follow social distancing and personal hygiene against contracting the deadly disease.