The total case COVID-19 count in India has topped 800,000, only the third country to reach this number.

India
Image/CIA

As of today, India, which some have said may become the next hotspot, has seen more than 820,000 cases, including 22,123 deaths.

Maharashtra state and Delhi have reported the most cases with 238,461 and 109,140, respectively.

Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at Harvard, Kasisomayajula Viswanath said this week that India has several challenges, primarily population density.

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“The number one challenge is density. It’s one of the densest countries in the world. Not just in the street—where you’re in a compressed area and people press against each other—but in the way that housing is structured. It is not unusual for more than one family, families with multiple generations, to live together. This makes it very difficult to follow physical distancing mandates.”

He also points at healthcare saying the health infrastructure, including public health, is inadequate.

Hospital capacity, especially in rural areas, equity and opening up the economy are some concerns he expressed.