Kerala, in southwestern India, has been so successful in “flattening the curve” that many now speak admiringly of a “Kerala Model” for handling public-health emergencies. Kerala was the first Indian state to report a case of Covid-19 – a medical student who had arrived from Wuhan, China, at the end of January. When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown on March 24, Kerala had the most cases of any state. On February 4, Kerala declared Covid-19 a state-level disaster, and shut schools, restricted public gatherings, and instituted lockdowns in early March. Kerala has maintained regular communication with the public about health risks, broadcasting precautionary messages through official channels to dispel fake news.

Source: The Star May 14, 2020 23:26 UTC