Community spread limited to certain districts, admits Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi, Oct 18
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday admitted that community transmission of Covid-19 virus has occurred in certain districts in a limited number of States. “But this is not happening countrywide,” the Minister said as he was addressing his weekly social media programme Sunday Samvaad.
On being asked to comment on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s admission that community transmission started in some areas of the State, the Union minister admitted and said it is expected to occur in some densly populated areas. “Community transmission has been reported in different pockets of various States. It is not happening across the country,” he said.
Though the Centre has so far denied community transmission of Covid-19 in India, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had confirmed community transmission in the State in July. Poonthura and Pullivila were the two coastal hamlets that, as the CM confirmed, saw community transmission. Assam,too, hinted at community transmission during July-August.
Of late, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has confirmed this transmission in the State. Ahead of Durga Puja, the CM cautioned people and said there are instances of community transmission of Covid-19.
There are four stages of Covid-19 invection. First in import of coronavirus which happened in India in January. On January 30, the first case of Covid-19 was detected in Kerala.
The second stage is local transmission which is the stage when people with no travel history abroad got infected. The third stage is community transmission where the origin of the infection can’t be easily identified. The fourth stage is epidemic. India so far maintained that it has not entered the stage of community transmission.