'I'd rather die from disease than hunger'

There is increasing worry from health organizations and charities that homeless populations are among the most vulnerable to coronavirus.

In India, it means a choice between overcrowded shelters or starving on empty streets.

Matthew Larotonda reports.

Much has been said about those most vulnerable to coronavirus, including the homeless.

On the streets of New Delhi, with its massive and densely packed population, such poverty may be even more at risk.

Hundreds of homeless lined up to get food from volunteers on one street this week.

There's no sanitizer.

No social distancing.

One man told us if he left a gap someone would just jump ahead of him in line.

This man said he'd rather die of the disease than hunger.

Aid workers say such scenes are becoming commonplace, now that the streets are empty and panhandling is no longer an option.

The Indian government's $22 billion stimulus does include measures for aid to the poor, but activists have told Reuters that it's unclear how it would filter down to the street level.

Further, four homeless shelters also told Reuters they were struggling to maintain social distancing orders.

Social distancing means fewer people in the shelter, which would leave more on the street.

India has so far been left relatively unscathed by the virus, with only a few dozen deaths and about 1,500 documented infections as of Wednesday (April 1).

But health agencies fear an explosion here, in the world's second most populous country.