In South India, Three out of Four Rural Households Tested COVID-19 Positive, New Survey Reveals

NEW DELHI:
Among the people who were tested, in south India, three out of every four rural households tested positive for Covid-19, the highest in the country. In contrast, it was the lowest in the north zone where only 12% tested positive.

These are the findings of the Gaon Connection’s rapid survey on the ‘Covid-19 Vaccine and Rural India’ was to find out different issues related to testing and treatment of Covid-19 in rural India and the knowledge, attitude and practice related to this new disease.

On being asked if any member of their household had been tested for Covid-19, around one-fourth of the respondent households reported that samples from at least one member of their households were taken for testing of Covid-19. This testing was more in high Covid prevalence states (34.6%) than medium prevalence states (28.4%) and low prevalence states (17%).

Zone wise analysis reflects highest proportion (42.6%) of respondents in the East-Northeast zone reported that samples from at least one member of their households were taken for the testing of Covid-19 whereas it was the lowest in the north zone (10.9%).

Of the 25.9% respondent households who reported any one of their family members samples were tested, more than half, that is 59%, reported at least one person in their household had tested positive for Covid-19. Overall, 15% (high prevalence zone: 27%, medium: 14% and low: 6%) of the total covered samples reported that at least one person among their household tested positive for Covid-19.

Among the people who were tested, it was found that in the south zone three out of every four households tested positive for Covid-19, the highest in the country. In contrast, it was the lowest in the north zone where only 12% tested positive.

On the recovery front, on being asked if the Covid-19 positive family member had recovered from the disease, the survey found that nearly three-fourth of them had recovered fully. Eight percent were all Covid positive and 3.5% of the positive cases/persons had passed away/died.

The Gaon Connection rapid survey also tried to find out about quarantine facilities in rural India and how many Covid-19 patients made use of them. On being asked if the Covid-19 positive household member was taken to a facility or was isolated at home, the respondents said that 73% were brought to quarantine
centres and 27% were isolated at home.

Further, it was asked if the Covid-19 posive household member was treated at a government hospital or private hospital, it was found that two-third of them got treatment in a government hospital and 11% went to private hospital. Around one-tenth of them got self-treatment and remaining went to rural medical practitioners (RMP) doctor/ quack and Ayurveda doctor. It was also found that a larger proportion of Covid-19 cases in high prevalence states (73%) got treatment in government hospitals than other categories of states.