Maharashtra: Village in Solapur shows how to fight COVID-19

A village in Maharashtra's Solapur has successfully managed to contain COVID-19 cases after a campaign was launched to raise awareness among the villagers.

After a few cases of the coronavirus were reported earlier in March, panic spread across Ghatne, a village in Mohol Taluk, with a population of about 1,500.

The death of a man due to COVID made matters worse, and many wanted to leave.

Rituraj Deshmukh, the village's 21-year old Sarpanch gathered the elders and proposed a campaign - Be positive. Apna gaon corona negative - to combat the spread of the virus.

As part of the campaign, villagers underwent free COVID-19 tests with the help of ASHA workers, and a close check was kept on their oxygen levels.

"After one person died of COVID, a dull atmosphere of fear was all around the village. People were terrified that they would contract the virus. Many wanted to leave. When we launched the campaign, I told people to have courage and not leave the village," Deshmukh told ANI.

He added, "We checked peoples' temperatures every day, distributed masks, sanitisers and soaps and educated people on the importance of maintaining hygiene. We also spread awareness on social distancing and how to treat a person who was sick."

Rather than fearing COVID-19, the people of village Ghatne fought it, and today, there is not a single active case in the village.

( With inputs from ANI )