India sees record surge in stomach bug outbreaks
Outbreaks of acute diarrheal disease surged to the highest on record last year, in the latest example of unusual surges of even the most common bacterial and viral ailments across the world.
Advertisement
India had recorded more than 1,000 outbreaks of acute diarrheal disease across the country as of December 22, according to the latest data from the federal health ministry's surveillance programme. This is the highest level since the data was made publicly available in 2009.
The health agency also reported more than 300 outbreaks of food poisoning across the country, the highest since 2019. An outbreak is defined as an illness 'clearly in excess of expected numbers', according to the ministry.
While stomach-related disorders are among the most common infectious illnesses in India, the reasons behind this exceptional surge in the outbreaks are a bit of a mystery. It also shows the lurking public health risks linked to contaminated water or food sources in the world's most-populous country.
Volunteers distribute food during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj, India, on February 1. Photo: AFP
There has been a global resurgence of diseases in the aftermath of the
Covid-19 pandemic , as historical illnesses and newer complications of existing ailments become more common across the world. Factors such as climate change, rising social inequality and healthcare services contribute in ways hard to measure, adding to the mounting public-health challenge.
Advertisement
An analysis last year in collaboration with disease-forecasting firm Airfinity found that 44 governments had reported the resurgence of at least one infectious disease over 10 times worse than the pre-pandemic baseline.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
a day ago
- RTHK
Bitumen and resin found in Fanling tap water
Bitumen and resin found in Fanling tap water Roger Wong, left, said the particles might have entered the water supply system for the two housing estates before the end of 2022. Photo: RTHK The government said on Thursday that it believes black particles found in tap water at two housing estates in Fanling are mostly residue of bitumen and resin that might have entered the water supply system three years ago. Water supplies director Roger Wong also said the water in Queen's Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court meets safety standards. He announced the government test results a week after residents complained about impurities. In a media briefing, Wong said from the colour and chemicals of the samples tested, officials believe that the resin found was protective coating that peeled off from the valves. As for the bitumen, the water supplies chief said the government had used the material as coating for water pipes until it switched to resin in 2005. He revealed that in December 2022, officials found similar particles in the water as residents started moving into Queen's Hill Estate after it had been used as Covid quarantine facilities. "At that time, we flushed the pipes, and after that, we installed a very fine-grained filter, so as to screen out all the black particles or other sediments that may move into the internal plumbing system," Wong told reporters. He said the residue particles had likely become finer over time and were likely washed up then because of a high amount of water flow, which might have happened again in the past week. "We frequently cleansed the filter and did not find any signs of black particles. So we deduce that the black particles or the sediments may be moved or flowed into the internal plumbing system before the filter is installed." Wong reiterated that water at the two estates is safe to drink, as bitumen is insoluble but not harmful to humans. He also said according to previous testing by a government-appointed consultant, no carcinogenic substances were released after water containing bitumen is boiled. Wong vowed to beef up cleaning of the pipes, adding that water samples will be tested every day until freshwater supply is free of black specks.
RTHK
2 days ago
- RTHK
Fatalities in stampede at Indian cricket celebrations
Fatalities in stampede at Indian cricket celebrations Victims of the stampede in Bengaluru are rushed to hospital. File photo: AFP A stampede broke out on Wednesday as a tightly packed crowd celebrated the victory of their home cricket team in the Indian city of Bengaluru, resulting in deaths, a senior government official said. India media reported as many as 11 people had been crushed to death, but Karnataka state's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he was not able to immediately confirm the exact number who had been killed. "The tragedy and death have brought deep pain and shock," Shivakumar said in a statement. "My condolences to the deceased. My condolences to their family." An AFP photographer saw vast crowds as a sea of people crammed the streets and police waved sticks. Shivakumar said "hundreds of thousands of people" had flocked onto the streets. "I have spoken to the police commissioner and everyone, I will also go to the hospital later – I do not want to disturb the doctors who are taking care of the patients," he told reporters. "The exact number cannot be told now. We appeal to the people to remain calm." Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the tragedy as "heartrending" as he offered condolences to the victims' families. Broadcasters showed police rushing away from crowds carrying young children in their arms, who had seemingly fainted. One unattended young man was sitting in an ambulance struggling to breathe. India's NDTV broadcaster said at least 11 people were killed, while The Times of India newspaper reported seven dead. "This is not a controllable crowd," Shivakumar said, speaking to reporters. "The police were finding it very difficult... I apologise to the people of Karnataka and Bengaluru. "We wanted to take a procession, but the crowd was very uncontrollable... the crowd was so much." Cricket fans had come out to celebrate and welcome home their heroes, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, after they beat Punjab Kings in a roller-coaster Indian Premier League cricket final on Tuesday night. Organisers pressed ahead with the ceremony, with the team's social media account posting a video of cheering crowds as the bus full of the players – including batting legend Virat Kohli – waved back. But IPL chairman Arun Dhumal, speaking to NDTV, said organisers in the stadium had not been told about the stampede. "At the time of the celebrations inside the stadium officials there did not know what had happened... I would like to send my heartfelt condolences," Dhumal said. Shivakumar said cricket organisers had "shortened the programme". "This is a very sad incident," Rajeev Shukla, vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the national governing body, told India Today news outlet. "No one imagined that such a huge crowd would turn up." (AFP)
RTHK
3 days ago
- RTHK
Japanese offer potential solution to plastics crisis
Japanese offer potential solution to plastics crisis The new plastic is said to dissolve in seawater in just hours and in soil in around 200 hours. File photo: AFP Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the Riken Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day taking place on June 5. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23 million to 37 million tonnes of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on," Aida said. "It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment." Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimetres in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours, he added. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide, he added. (Reuters)
