India's weakened healthcare heightens risk of COVID-19 spread

The country currently runs on 8.5 hospital beds per 10,000 patients.

Despite Chinese tourists only accounting for 2.7% of India’s tourist arrivals, India is sighted tobe at high risk of a localised spread of the novel coronavirus, said a report by Fitch Solutions.

There are three reported suspected victims of the coronavirus in India as of 4 February.

Fitch notes that with India’s large total debt load of 76% of GDP, the country will have limited resources to support healthcare efforts in containing the virus spread at a mass scale.

The country currently has 8.5 hospital beds per 10,000 population and 8 physicians per 10,000, read the report.

Fitch also notes that the government’s limited capacity to impose a lockdown and its inability to track its citizens amidst the country’s high population density, augment the risk of a virus spread.