A small state in India’s troubled northeast has managed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic much better than some larger states with more resources.

Mizoram is tucked away between Myanmar and Bangladesh, about 1,500 miles from New Delhi. It registered its first case on March 24—the day on which the country went into nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

Since then, the number of cases in Mizoram rose to 918 as of Aug. 24, but there have been no deaths.

The number of Covid-19 cases in India was reported at 3.1 million on August 24, with 57,542 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, United States. India is third after the United States and Brazil.

The government of the state, led by Chief Minister Pu Zoramthanga, decided to take immediate action as the pandemic started. A former militant leader, he enlisted the help of community organizations such as the Central Young Mizo Association and church leaders. About 85 percent of the state’s population is Christian and such organizations play an important role.

Every village and locality in urban areas has a local task force to deal with Covid-19. They coordinate with district-level teams, who in turn report to a state-level team.

On August 9, when a paramilitary officer from the Chaltlang Lily Veng area of Aizawl tested positive for Covid-19, the local task force took charge. They declared a lockdown in the locality. Volunteers managed to trace 136 people who had met the officer. Thirteen of them tested positive.

“The state utilized the time of the lockdown in coordinating effectively among various departments, such as health, home, and disaster management, and the community organizations,” said Priscilla C. Ngaihte, an adviser with Public Health Foundation of India. “They also prioritized strengthening their health infrastructure over other things.”