Recent Health Outbreaks and emergencies in India

Recent Health Outbreaks and emergencies in India 

1: Zika virus infection

On 15 May 2017, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare-Government of India (MoHFW) reported three laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika virus disease in Bapunagar area, Ahmedabad District, Gujarat, State, India.
The routine laboratory surveillance detected a laboratory-confirmed case of Zika virus disease through RT-PCR test at B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The etiology of this case has been further confirmed through a positive RT-PCR test and sequencing at the national reference laboratory, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune on 4 January 2017 (case 2, below). Two additional cases (case 1 and case 3), have then been identified through the Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) and the Antenatal clinic (ANC) surveillance. The cases are reported below in chronological order:

• Case 1**: A 34-year-old female, delivered a clinically well baby at BJMC in Ahmedabad on 9 November 2016. During her hospital stay, she developed a low grade fever after delivery. No history of fever during pregnancy and no history of travel for the past three months was reported. A sample from the patient was referred to the Viral Research & Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) at the BJMC for dengue testing and thereafter found to be positive for Zika virus. She was discharged after one week (on 16 November 2016). The sample was re-confirmed as Zika virus positive by RT-PCR and sequencing at NIV, Pune.
• Case 2**: During the Antenatal clinic (ANC) surveillance between 6 and 12 January 2017, a total of 111 blood samples were collected at BJMC. One sample from a 22-year-old pregnant female in her 37th week of pregnancy has been tested positive for Zika virus disease.
• Case 3**: During the Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) surveillance between 10 to 16 February 2017*, a total of 93 blood samples were collected at BJ Medical College (BJMC), Ahmedabad, Gujarat State. One sample from a 64-year-old male presenting with febrile illness of 8 days’ duration (negative for dengue infection) was found to be positive for Zika virus at BJMC,  Ahmedabad. This is the first Zika positive case reported through AFI surveillance at BJMC, Ahmedabad, Gujarat State.

2: Nipah virus

As of 17 July 2018, a total of 19 Nipah virus (NiV) cases, including 17 deaths, were reported from Kerala State: 18 of the cases were laboratory-confirmed and the deceased index case was suspected to have NiV but could not be tested. The outbreak was localized to two districts in Kerala State: Kozhikode and Malappuram. No new cases or deaths have been reported since 1 June 2018 and, as of 30 July, human-to-human transmission of NiV has been contained in Kerala State.
As reported in the Disease Outbreak News published on 31 May 2018, three deaths due to NiV infection were reported on 19 May from Kozhikode District, Kerala State. Three of the four reported deaths were confirmed positive for NiV by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and IgM ELISA for NiV.
Two patients recovered completely and were discharged from the hospital. Acute respiratory distress syndrome and encephalitis were observed among the patients infected. This was the first NiV outbreak reported in Kerala State and the third NiV outbreak known to have occurred in India; the two previous outbreaks occurred in the state of West Bengal in 2001 and 2007.

3: Outbreak of Coronavirus

India Situation 

As of 09 March, a total of 44 confirmed cases have been reported from India. This includes: Delhi (4),
Haryana (14), Jammu (1), Kerala (9), Ladakh (2), Punjab (1), Rajasthan (2), Tamil Nadu (1), Telangana
(1), Uttar Pradesh (9). Of these, 16 are foreign nationals. The 6 new cases from Kerala, are in addition
to the 3 cases, that have already recovered. Hospital isolation of the cases, tracing and home quarantine
of their contacts is ongoing, in the states from where cases have been reported.
All states are on high alert, for early detection and management of any further cases. As of 08 March,
there are 52 laboratories identified by the Indian Council of Medical Research, for testing of COVID-19.
A total of 57 laboratories have been identified to support sample collection and referral.
The Prime Minister is personally monitoring the preparedness and response. The Union Health and
Family Welfare Minister (HFM) is reviewing the situation daily. A Group of Ministers chaired by HFM has
been constituted to review the progress and measures taken for containment. In a suo-moto speech on
05 March, HFM provided an update on the global situation of COVID-19, number of cases in India and
the actions taken by the Government to contain further spread. He updated the house regarding
screening of passengers in airport, seaports and minor ports. Through integrated disease surveillance
system, a total of 28,529 persons were monitored under community surveillance. He updated on another
successful evacuation in bringing back 124 people including 5 foreign nationals from the COVID-19
infected cruise ship. He informed of the strengthened laboratory capacity in the country.
As per the latest India travel advisory, all international passengers irrespective of nationality are
mandated to undergo universal medical screening. Adequate screening measures have been setup and
nine more airports have been added to the existing 21, bringing the total to 30 airports. As on 9 March,
a total of 9,41,717 international passengers from 8,827 flights have been screened at airports. 1,921
passengers were identified as symptomatic and 177 of them have been hospitalized. 33,599 are under
observation while 21,867 have completed observation period (press release 9 March). Screening of
passengers is also being done in 12 major seaports and 65 minor ports in the country.