Over the past week, I have been getting regular messages from friends and family in Australia checking how I am coping with the coronavirus situation in India.

The underlying concern is that a developing country with well over a billion people and densely packed neighbourhoods must surely be feeling the fallout more than a wealthy nation with a robust health care system.

But to the surprise of many, India is doing relatively OK.

There are only 114 confirmed cases of coronavirus, notably fewer than Australia.

While hand sanitiser supplies are tighter than usual, there has been no panic buying, with plenty of food and toilet paper still available in shops and markets.

Hand sanitiser is hard to come by, but otherwise the ABC's South Asia correspondent James Oaten can get all the supplies he needs. ( ABC News: James Oaten )

How can this be?

Since reports of coronavirus started sweeping across the world, India has been focused on one thing: prevention.

Here's how India is fighting coronavirus

India blocked travel from Japan, South Korea, Iran and Italy in early March. ( AP: Michael Probst )

At the start of March, when India had just six active COVID-19 cases, the country effectively closed its borders to hotspot countries Japan, South Korea, Iran and Italy.

It took another eight days for Australia to clamp down on travel from Italy, but so far it has not imposed restrictions for Japan.

Then on March 12, as the number of confirmed cases passed 70, India hit the nuclear option, suspending the vast majority of visas from every country for at least a month.

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While Australia debated what constituted a "mass gathering" and Prime Minister Scott Morrison was still determined to see his beloved Sharkies, several Indian cities, including the capital New Delhi, closed schools and cinemas until April.

Indian schools are now closed, but students were given health and safety tips before class was dismissed. ( Reuters: Rupak De Chowdhuri )

One-day cricket matches were called off.

Authorities confirmed the Indian Premier League would be pushed back at least until mid-April.

The city of Delhi banned gatherings above 50 people, and Mumbai shut down Bollywood and shopping malls.

'Asian countries have been primed'

The streets of India are being sprayed with disinfectant to combat the spread of coronavirus. ( Reuters: Danish Ismail )

A fundamental difference between India and Australia, according to experts, is that many Asian countries have experience in dealing with the threat of a disease epidemic.

"Asian countries have been primed for some time now," Professor K Shrinath Reddy from the Public Health Foundation of India told the ABC.

"You [Australia] have lost a bit of touch with infectious diseases."

Over the past two decades, Professor Reddy listed a range of diseases as having "knocked at the door" of India, including H1N1 (swine flu), H5N1 (bird flu) and SARS.

Swine flu in particular has been difficult to eradicate, and so far at least 28 people have died from the infection this year, compared to only three confirmed deaths from COVID-19.

The experience has reinforced the view in India that harsh responses might come at an economic cost, but they're worth it.

"The economic cost of letting it run through the country like a blazing fire is much higher," Professor Reddy said.

Public health experts say India's recent experiences with the swine flu and avian flu outbreaks means they're better prepared for coronavirus. ( AP: Rajesh Kumar Singh )

India was somewhat sheltered from the initial outbreak of coronavirus. Its tourism and education sectors aren't nearly as connected to China as those of Australia or other developed nations.

If an outbreak did occur, India's patchy health system could be tested.

The spread could be particularly vicious in poorer or densely populated neighbourhoods.

And like the rest of the world, the number of coronavirus cases in India is likely underreported. How the situation continues to play out in India is far from certain.

Religious gatherings, including the Holi Hindu festival, have proceeded in India, but with extra precautions. ( Reuters: P. Ravikumar )

But Professor Reddy said the coronavirus outbreak might represent a shift in global health, where developed countries can learn from developing ones.

"Over the past 30, 40 years, developed countries have been saying, 'What can we do for you?'" he said.

"But now global health is [about] what can we do together."