Zoonotic Outbreaks in India: A Growing Threat

An analysis by ICMR-NIE reveals that over 8% of disease outbreaks in India from 2018 to 2023 were zoonotic. Peak months for these outbreaks were June to August. Japanese encephalitis led, followed by leptospirosis and scrub typhus. The analysis highlights the need for better surveillance and targeted interventions.

A recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE) has unveiled that over eight percent of outbreaks reported in India's infectious disease surveillance system from 2018 to 2023 were zoonotic in nature.

Conducted by analyzing 6,948 cases under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program, the research noted that such outbreaks surged particularly between June and August, with Japanese encephalitis, leptospirosis, and scrub typhus leading the pack.

Despite improvements in the timeliness of reporting, critical gaps like the absence of follow-up documentation persist, underscoring the necessity for enhanced disease-specific surveillance in hotspot regions.