Outbreak Response Overview
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has dispatched a NJORT to the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The move aims to strengthen field investigations, clinical management and public‑health actions against the ongoing CHPV outbreak.
Key Developments
- The IDSP is intensifying active surveillance for Acute Febrile Illness and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in affected districts.
- Laboratory networks led by the NCDC have been mobilised, and the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre is now operational.
- Multiple ICMR institutes (NIE, NIVCR, NIV, NIPCR) and ICAR‑NIVEDI are conducting epidemiological, virological and vector studies in close coordination with state health departments.
- Vector surveillance is focusing on sandflies, the known carriers, while also testing mosquitoes, ticks and mites for possible involvement.
- Animal surveillance includes testing blood and milk from cattle, buffaloes and goats to check for reservoir potential.
- Whole‑genome sequencing of virus isolates is underway at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre to detect any genetic changes.
Important Facts
• Over 70 animal blood samples have been collected for testing.
• The investigation builds on lessons from the 2024 CHPV outbreak in Gujarat, where no definitive vector was identified.
• A research paper documenting the 2024 outbreak has been published by ICMR‑NIV and partner institutions.
• The Hospital‑based Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) Surveillance Network, covering 15 tertiary hospitals, is providing real‑time laboratory data.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the One Health framework is crucial for GS‑4 questions on public‑health policy, disease surveillance and inter‑sectoral coordination. The role of agencies like ICMR, NCDC and the IDSP illustrate how India’s health governance structure operates during emergencies.
Way Forward
1. Continue intensive field surveillance and expand community serosurveys to gauge asymptomatic spread.
2. Complete vector and animal testing to confirm or rule out additional reservoirs.
3. Finalise genomic analyses to detect any mutations that may affect transmissibility or severity.
4. Translate scientific findings into evidence‑based public‑health guidelines, including vector‑control measures and clinical protocols for AES.
5. Strengthen the One Health coordination by formalising data‑sharing mechanisms between human health, veterinary and environmental agencies.