451 Covid cases in Karnataka, death toll rises to 7
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The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
ICMR to initiate wastewater surveillance for 10 viruses across 50 cities
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will initiate wastewater surveillance for 10 viruses across 50 cities, a major jump from the five cities that are currently monitored. The move is aimed at identifying any increase in virus growth trend at the earliest, said ICMR head Rajiv Bahl. 'The next six months will see the scaling up of surveillance across India which will enable us to pick up any rise in virus load in the community. Currently, the COVID-19 virus and polio virus are under surveillance,'' explained Dr. Bahl. The ICMR is involved in establishing environmental surveillance for viruses, including avian influenza virus (AIV) by monitoring surface water and wastewater, particularly in areas with outbreaks, to establish an early warning system. India also has a robust surveillance system for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) through ICMR and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Dr. Bahl added that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance is already being conducted at several hospitals across the country. 'AMR is the ability of microorganisms — bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites to evolve and resist the effects of medications designed to kill or inhibit their growth. This resistance renders treatments ineffective, leading to longer periods of illnesses, higher costs, and increased mortality,'' said Dr. Bahl. The Central government is also working on the 'One Health' programme, which aims to bring different sectors together to solve health, productivity, and conservation challenges. The Health Ministry notes that India, with its diverse wildlife, large livestock populations, high density of human population, and diversity of flora, can create opportunities for harmonious coexistence and work to prevent heightened risks for spread of diseases between species. 'The COVID-19 pandemic, recent outbreak of lumpy skin disease in cattle, and the constant threat of avian influenza show that it is not just about addressing diseases from the human health point of view but there is also a need to address the livestock, wildlife and environmental aspects,'' it said in a statement.
The Hindu
01-08-2025
- The Hindu
Ernakulam records six leptospirosis deaths in three weeks
Ernakulam has recorded six deaths due to leptospirosis over the past three weeks. The district has reported over 35 suspected and confirmed cases of the disease in this period. Those who succumbed to leptospirosis include a 58-year-old male of Ashokapuram, Aluva; a 33-year-old male of Mattancherry; a 37-year-old male, a native of Jalpaiguri, West Bengal; a 44-year-old female of Vazhakulam; a 33-year-old female of Kuttampuzha; and a 60-year-old male of Keezhillam, according to the statistics available with the Department of Health. Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, convener of the research cell of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), pointed out that the number of cases of leptospirosis will go up in the monsoon season compared to the dry months earlier in the year. 'This relatively serious disease is caused by bacteria found in the urine of animals such as rats, cattle and dogs. They enter the soil and find their way into the human body through tiny cracks and wounds in the soles of the feet. This is likely to happen in waterlogged areas, particularly among people who work in agriculture, gardening or cleaning,' he said. Dr. Jayadevan said that many deaths have occurred because the patient presented late or because treatment was not initiated early enough. A proportionate number of the infected will succumb to the disease owing to organ failure, and those are the deaths that we are actually seeing, he said. Spike in fever cases The district has reported about 12,900 fever cases since July 15. Over 500 influenza cases were also reported in the last two weeks, as per the Health department statistics. Two deaths due to hepatitis A were reported between July 15 and July 31. Those who succumbed to the disease include a 52-year-old male of Pathalam and a 38-year-old male of Avoli, Muvattupuzha. A 29-year-old male of Parakadavu died owing to Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) on July 26. A 56-year-old male of Nellikuzhi died due to dengue fever on July 18. An average of 37 influenza cases had been reported over the past two weeks. On July 29 and 30, the district recorded a total of 74 and 65 cases, respectively.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- The Hindu
ICMR-NIE study calls for year-round monitoring of respiratory infections
Researchers at the ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) in Chennai have highlighted the need for year-round and integrated surveillance of severe acute respiratory infections and influenza-like illness, which are potential threats to public health, to detect early warnings. Study findings This comes in the view of a new public health study, published in 'Discover Health Systems' journal last month, which has revealed key insights into how Tamil Nadu monitors and responds to cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). The study found that surveillance efforts are stepped up only during outbreaks or specific seasons, even though respiratory viruses circulate throughout the year. The study evaluated the functioning of disease surveillance systems in four districts of the state from 2023 to 2024. Engaging more than 370 stakeholders across 85 healthcare facilities and 23 laboratories, the study found that while Tamil Nadu has built a foundation for respiratory illness surveillance, further improvements are needed to make the system more consistent, routine, and capable of responding to emerging public health threats. "This is the first study of its kind in India that provides evidence-based recommendations to strengthen disease surveillance at all levels," said Dr Rizwan Suliankatchi Abdulkader, the principal investigator of the study, ICMR-NIE. "Tamil Nadu has made significant strides in health surveillance. This report reinforces the importance of year-round, integrated disease monitoring to protect public health," said Dr T S Selva Vinayagam, director of public health and preventive medicine, the Government of Tamil Nadu. The study stated that more than half of the facilities surveyed had systems in place to report ILI/SARI cases, but only 42 per cent regularly collected clinical samples for testing. Besides, relatively few medical personnel had received specific training in identifying and reporting such cases. Need for improved surveillance Testing facilities were mostly concentrated in larger hospitals, with primary and secondary care facilities lacking necessary equipment and resources to conduct tests, Dr Rizwan said. While public health centres widely used the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP), the system faced challenges such as inconsistent data entry, multiple overlapping reporting formats, and minimal participation from private hospitals and labs. "The study also noted that surveillance efforts tend to intensify only during outbreaks or specific seasons, even though respiratory viruses circulate throughout the year," Dr Rizwan said. Influenza surveillance remains a seasonal event in Tamil Nadu, the study noted. "With changing ecological conditions, efforts should be made to ensure year-round reporting of cases. Testing for influenza should be prioritised and infrastructure and testing for novel pathogens should be developed," it said. Although guidelines are in place, a gap still exists in awareness amongst the health workers, especially community health workers regarding the importance of influenza surveillance. Structured training should be provided for trainers and there should be mechanisms for regular training of community health workers. Frequent monitoring should be employed and structured feedback should be provided to ensure complete and accurate data for a better understanding of the disease trends. Involvement of the private sector in surveillance activities is evident but partial, the study said. One health approach A 'One Health' approach should be adopted involving other sectors and data-sharing mechanisms should be in place ensuring transparency of data. With the plans already being discussed by the state, we may expect an improvement in surveillance standards for influenza soon, the study said. Surveillance is the key to identifying and detecting health events in the community and it provides the scientific and factual evidence essential for informed decision-making and appropriate public health action, the study found. Study participants identified several measures to improve surveillance, which included scaling up training for healthcare workers and community-level providers, improving digital infrastructure and mobile access to reporting platforms, expanding participation from private hospitals and diagnostic labs and engaging wide range of health workers such as mid-level providers and community volunteers. Tamil Nadu has already taken steps such as introducing the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to streamline sample collection and transport. Plans are also in place to establish a "One Health" secretariat aimed at improving inter-departmental coordination and surveillance of zoonotic diseases, Dr Manoj Murhekar, director of NIE said. These initiatives could boost the state's ability to track influenza and other respiratory threats more effectively, he said. The researchers recommended transitioning from seasonal to continuous surveillance of ILI/SARI. They also suggested boosting laboratory capacity and resources across all levels of care, offering regular refresher training to healthcare providers and establishing structured feedback loops and monitoring systems to improve data quality and reporting accuracy and conducting similar situation analyses across the country. The study was supported by the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The findings aim to guide state-level policy and improve the preparedness for respiratory disease outbreaks, including potential pandemics, said Dr Murhekar. Respiratory infections are a major contributor to morbidity and mortality. Globally, in 2021, an estimated 2.18 million deaths occurred due to lower respiratory tract infections (LRI), the study mentioned. Influenza viruses were responsible for more than five million hospitalisations. The Global Burden of Disease study has estimated 98,200 deaths due to influenza globally in 2021. Thirty-six per cent of worldwide deaths due to influenza occur in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Influenza-associated mortality in India is higher among adults aged 65 years and above and children below five years. The Southeast Asia (SEA) region is considered a 'hotspot' for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially those with pandemic potential. The region has witnessed a significant increase in pandemic and epidemic-prone diseases in the last decade such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection (2002-2004), Influenza A H1N1 2009 (Swine Flu), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) infection (2012), and COVID-19 (2020-2023) that have resulted in high morbidity and mortality.
