With just hundreds of cases, Delhi’s response to coronavirus has already surpassed the UK’s

Despite some examples of conflict, it should be proud of how it is stepped up to the unprecedented challenge of containing this pandemic, writes Adam Withnall

Indians watch on television as Narendra Modi addresses the nation amid concerns of a coronavirus outbreak in Delhi (AP)

Delhi’s streets have been deserted for three days in a row – on Sunday, because of a voluntary “people’s curfew” asked for by the prime minister Narendra Modi, and for the past two days under a police-enforced lockdown in towns and cities across the country.

That India continues to be one step ahead of the UK in its coronavirus containment measures – despite its official caseload passing just over 500, compared to Britain’s 6,600 – is testament to two things.

First, the worry here about the chronically underfunded public health system’s ability to cope with severe bouts of Covid-19. Major hospitals are shutting down out-patient departments entirely to prepare isolation units, and all elective surgeries have been cancelled.