Amid spike in coronavirus cases, India boosts capacity for tougher challenges ahead

Amid looming fears of coronavirus infection entering the community transmission stage, India is boosting its overall health infrastructure by initiating measures like designating dedicated hospitals for affected patients in states, ramping up procurement of ventilators and mobilising resources of Railways and armed forces to deal with any eventuality.

As of now, the country reported 873 coronavirus cases and 19 deaths.

Even though the Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have been insisting that there is "no solid evidence" of community transmission so far, the government has started scaling up health infrastructure to deal with any situation.

India is under a 21-day lockdown from Tuesday midnight as part of efforts to check spread of coronavirus.

In an urgent communication, the Centre has asked all states to earmark hospitals only for treating COVID-19 patients and ramp up their capacity to manage increasing number of cases. At least 17 states have ...