Question

Which is the $1^{\text{st}$ Indian state to declare Novel Coronavirus as “state disaster” (Feb 2020)?

• A. Kerala
• B. Tamil Nadu
• C. Maharashtra
• D. Haryana

Hint:

The first three COVID-19 cases in India were reported in Kerala, which explains why it was the first state to declare it a state disaster to initiate emergency protocols.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, Indian states responded with various administrative and legal measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Declaring an outbreak a "state disaster" allows state governments to mobilize emergency funds and streamline administrative responses under disaster management frameworks.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In early 2020, the first three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in India were detected in students returning to Kerala from Wuhan, China.
In response to these initial cases, the Government of Kerala officially declared the Novel Coronavirus outbreak as a "state disaster" on February 3, 2020.
This declaration allowed the state's health department and administrative machinery to:
- Access State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) for emergency medical supplies.
- Impose strict contact-tracing, quarantine, and isolation protocols.
- Establish rapid command and control centers across all districts.
Although the status was temporarily withdrawn a few days later as the initial cases recovered and no secondary transmission was detected, this early, proactive administrative action was a landmark event.
Other states, such as Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, faced severe outbreaks later in March and April 2020 and implemented similar emergency protocols after Kerala.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Kerala was the first Indian state to declare the Novel Coronavirus as a state disaster in February 2020.