Health Alerts

The city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state has experienced a surge in both chikungunya and dengue fever cases for the year to date, with news sources reporting a 10-fold increase compared to last year. Other states with surges in vector-borne infections include Telangana (Hyderabad), Maharashtra (Nashik) and Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal). In related news, health teams were sent to Uttar Pradesh last week in response to reports of more than 50 child deaths from an unspecified viral fever. Results of tests carried out in the districts of Firozabad, Mathura and Mainpuri found the majority had succumbed to complications of dengue fever, but some were also due to scrub typhus and leptospirosis infections. More recent news reports indicate that dengue cases are now increasing in eastern districts of Uttar Pradesh, including the cities of Varanasi and Basti. Read more

CONTACT tracing and testing continues after the weekend death of a 12yo boy died from Nipah virus infection in the northern Kerala district of Kozhikode. More than 250 people have been quarantined and neighbouring districts placed on alert. A bat habitat was found near the boy’s house – fruit bats (Pteropodidae family) are the Nipah virus’ natural host. Read more