Highlights
- There are over 530,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in India and more than 19,000 deaths.
- The Indian government has allocated funds equal to 10% of GDP as an economic stimulus.
- The situation in Southeast Asia appears less dramatic from a health perspective, but equally worrying from an economic point of view.
(This podcast is only available in Italian)
Despite worrying numbers related to the coronavirus pandemic, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that his country will continue to ease restrictions.
The reasons behind this decision are to be found in the deep economic crisis that is raging in India, and which is primarily due to the stop of industrial production and international tourism.
The Indian government has tried to move quickly by building a 10,000-bed mega hospital in New Delhi but concerns remain about the capacity of the Indian health system to cope with this pandemic.
Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia the pandemic outbreak seems to be under control. Thailand has not reported any new cases for two days. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Vietnam and Cambodia have not reported any death directly associated with coronavirus.
Although the situation appears to be under control from a health perspective, the economic consequences of the pandemic are devastating in this region which heavily relies on international tourism.
Together with Alessandro Ursic, our correspondent based in Bangkok and expert on the Asian continent, we analyse the pandemic situation in India and Southeast Asia.
