This Indian Slum Contained A Possible COVID-19 Disaster With Hydroxychloroquine
On July 9, 2020, Asia's biggest and densest slum shocked the world by announcing just one new positive COVID-19 case despite being a cluster and hotspot.
Wed Jul 22, 2020 - 8:01 pm EST


By Vijay Jarayaj

July 22, 2020 (American Thinker) — On July 9, 2020, Asia's biggest and densest slum shocked the world by announcing just one new positive COVID-19 case despite being a cluster and hotspot.

Dharavi is no ordinary slum. It is one of the densest in the world, housing more than a million people. It provided some of the background for the Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire.

Dharavi contains pockets where as many as 650,000 people are crammed into 2.5 square kilometers. In comparison, New York City has only around 95,605 people for 2.5 square kilometers.

India feared the worst when a cluster outbreak of COVID-19 was reported in Dharavi. It could have become the biggest COVID-19 disaster zone in the world. But by using proactive measures, Dharavi contained the virus.

Media around the world, like the Los Angeles Times, have reported the success. Even the World Health Organization praised Dharavi.

Reports credit the huge turnaround to various factors. Most focused on Dharavi's use of widespread testing and contact tracing. One is the use of an anti-malarial drug. But they ignored the policy most responsible. Indian doctors used hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for prophylaxis (preventive) treatment — the same drug the American media have politicized.

Dharavi's COVID-19 infection rate dropped drastically from April through June. In July, new infections were very low, almost reaching zero on July 9.

Officials have credited this turnaround to "[a] combination of hydroxychloroquine, vitamin D, and zinc tablets along with homeopathic medicines."

HCQ has been widely used across India to treat early-stage COVID-19. It is also prescribed for prophylaxis among those who have come into contact with people who have tested positive.

In India, HCQ has always been legal. The government's official COVID-19 task force, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), highly recommends it for high-risk people like medical practitioners.

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