Lok Sabha Question No. 1888 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: Rise of Communicable Diseases in Kerala
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Hibi Eden

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1888 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2024

## RISE OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES IN KERALA

## 1888 SHRI HIBI EDEN:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has noticed an increase in the reported cases of communicable diseases in the State of Kerala, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government found any potential reason for such a rise in the State; and
- (c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to keep spread of diseases in control?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)

(a) to (c): Climate change is potentially linked with rising instances of diseases in the State of Kerala, for instance through higher temperatures, water scarcity and flooding. Cases of Communicable Disease reported under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024 is at annexure.

Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) is an important program under National Health Mission that does the disease surveillance in the country. IDSP is implemented in all 36 States/UTs. The program is responsible for the surveillance of 33 plus epidemic prone diseases. The surveillance tool consists of S (Syndromic) form filled by Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) at the Sub-centre level, P (Presumptive) form filled by medical officers at health facility level and L (Laboratory confirmed) form filled by laboratories as per standard case definitions.

Every State has designated laboratories like District Public Health Laboratories (DPHLs), State Referral Laboratories (SRLs) under IDSP for investigation and surveillance of these diseases. IDSP also performs media scanning & verification of print and electronic media to strengthen the event-based surveillance. Based on the disease surveillance data appropriate action for the control of communicable diseases are taken at each level.

Further, to strengthen the disease surveillance in the country, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) has shifted from a paper-based weekly reporting to a paperless reporting through Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). IHIP is an

information platform that integrates data from various 'registries' to provide near real-time information on health surveillance from all across India for decision-makers to take appropriate public health action.

For the recent outbreak of Nipah Viral Disease in Kerala, NCDC has deployed a National Joint Response team with ICMR, DAHD and Wildlife Department in response to the positive case of Nipah viral Disease reported from Malapuram. ICMR NIV team with the mobile BSL -3 lab is deployed in Malapuram for diagnostic testing and specialized team is deputed for Bat catching and testing. A Field survey team of 4 NIOH scientist and one technical staff is currently deployed in Kerala.

Kerala reported multiple avian influenza outbreaks. ICMR-NIV, Pune, isolated the virus as H5N1 and identified it as Clade 2.3.4.4b through genomic sequencing. The national team from the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, along with the NCDC and ICMR, contributed to the outbreak response and helped in the containment of the disease.

Under National Health Mission (NHM) funds are released to States/UTs under flexible pools on a lump sum basis to provide greater flexibility to States/UTs to utilize the funds as per their felt need and priorities. Financial support is provided to the States/UTs for implementation of these programmes, on the basis of their proposals in Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs).

Health is a State subject. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to States/UTs through various schemes including National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP), National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) and National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) under the aegis of National Health Mission (NHM) to prevent and control various communicable diseases.

******

## Annexure

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF THE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1888 FOR 02.08.2024 REGARDING RISE OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE IN KERALA

|   Cases S.n o | of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks Disease   | 2021   | 2022   | 2023   | 2024*   |   2021-2024 Grand Total |
|---------------|---------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|---------|-------------------------|
|             1 | Acute Diarrheal Disease                                 | 468    | 1112   | 2360   | 597     |                    4537 |
|             2 | Acute Encephalitis Syndrome                             |        |        |        | 4       |                       4 |
|             3 | Acute Gastroenteritis                                   |        | 22     | 45     |         |                      67 |
|             4 | Acute Meningoencephalitis (Naegleria fowleri)           |        | 1      |        |         |                       1 |
|             5 | Acute Respiratory Illness                               | 30     |        |        |         |                      30 |
|             6 | Adeno Virus                                             |        |        | 993    |         |                     993 |
|             7 | Animal Bite - Dog Bite                                  |        |        | 5      | 9       |                      14 |
|             8 | Brucellosis                                             | 1      | 1      | 2      |         |                       4 |
|             9 | Chickenpox                                              |        | 98     | 265    | 146     |                     509 |
|            10 | Chikungunya                                             | 26     |        |        |         |                      26 |
|            11 | Cholera                                                 | 1      |        | 52     |         |                      53 |
|            12 | Dengue                                                  | 482    | 448    | 1044   | 229     |                    2203 |
|            13 | Dysentery                                               | 10     |        |        |         |                      10 |
|            14 | Fever                                                   |        |        | 36     |         |                      36 |
|            15 | Fever with Rash                                         |        | 13     |        | 91      |                     104 |
|            16 | Food Poisoning                                          | 1226   | 1612   | 3397   | 1387    |                    7622 |
|            17 | Food Poisoning (Noro Virus)                             |        | 37     |        |         |                      37 |
|            18 | Hand Foot &Mouth Disease                                |        | 5      |        |         |                       5 |
|            19 | Influenza AH3N2                                         |        |        | 23     |         |                      23 |
|            20 | Japanese Encephalitis                                   |        | 13     | 1      |         |                      14 |
|            21 | Jaundice                                                |        |        | 25     | 37      |                      62 |
|            22 | Kala Azar                                               | 2      | 5      | 10     |         |                      17 |
|            23 | Kyasanur Forest Disease                                 |        | 1      |        |         |                       1 |
|            24 | Leptospirosis                                           | 26     | 46     |        |         |                      72 |
|            25 | Lyme Disease                                            |        | 1      |        |         |                       1 |
|            26 | Measles                                                 |        | 90     | 250    |         |                     340 |
|            27 | Melioidosis                                             | 1      |        | 2      | 2       |                       5 |
|            28 | Monkey Pox                                              |        | 3      | 6      | 2       |                      11 |
|            29 | Mumps                                                   |        | 66     | 160    | 418     |                     644 |
|            30 | Nipah                                                   |        |        | 6      |         |                       6 |
|            31 | Probable Leishmaniasis                                  |        |        | 1      |         |                       1 |
|            32 | Shigellosis                                             |        | 3      | 26     |         |                      29 |
|            33 | Suspected Dengue                                        |        |        | 5      |         |                       5 |
|            34 | Suspected Food Poisoning                                |        | 4      | 712    |         |                     716 |
|            35 | Suspected Mumps                                         |        | 11     |        |         |                      11 |
|            36 | Suspected Typhoid                                       |        | 4      | 32     |         |                      36 |
|            37 | Typhoid                                                 |        |        | 37     | 57      |                      94 |

| Cases of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024                               | Cases of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024                               | Cases of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024                               | Cases of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024                               | Cases of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024                               | Cases of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024                               | Cases of Communicable Disease reported in Outbreaks under IDSP in Kerala from 2021-2024                               |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                | Disease                                                                                                               | 2021                                                                                                                  | 2022                                                                                                                  | 2023                                                                                                                  | 2024*                                                                                                                 | Grand Total                                                                                                           |
| 38                                                                                                                    | TB                                                                                                                    | 21,872                                                                                                                | 23,388                                                                                                                | 21,799                                                                                                                | 10,077                                                                                                                | 77,136                                                                                                                |
| 38                                                                                                                    | Viral Fever/PUO                                                                                                       | 9                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                       | 9                                                                                                                     |
| 39                                                                                                                    | Viral Hepatitis A                                                                                                     | 27                                                                                                                    | 195                                                                                                                   | 675                                                                                                                   | 1518                                                                                                                  | 2415                                                                                                                  |
| 40                                                                                                                    | Viral Hepatitis B                                                                                                     | 4                                                                                                                     | 9                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                       | 13                                                                                                                    |
| 41                                                                                                                    | Viral Hepatitis C                                                                                                     | 6                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                       | 6                                                                                                                     |
| 42                                                                                                                    | West Nile Fever                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                       | 2                                                                                                                     | 9                                                                                                                     | 5                                                                                                                     | 16                                                                                                                    |
| 43                                                                                                                    | Zika Virus                                                                                                            | 84                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                     | 12                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                       | 97                                                                                                                    |
| Total                                                                                                                 | Total                                                                                                                 | 24,275                                                                                                                | 27,191                                                                                                                | 31,990                                                                                                                | 14,579*                                                                                                               | 98,035                                                                                                                |
| * As of Now in the Year 2024 Outbreaks reported till week 21st ending on 26/05/2024 Blank cell no outbreaks reported. | * As of Now in the Year 2024 Outbreaks reported till week 21st ending on 26/05/2024 Blank cell no outbreaks reported. | * As of Now in the Year 2024 Outbreaks reported till week 21st ending on 26/05/2024 Blank cell no outbreaks reported. | * As of Now in the Year 2024 Outbreaks reported till week 21st ending on 26/05/2024 Blank cell no outbreaks reported. | * As of Now in the Year 2024 Outbreaks reported till week 21st ending on 26/05/2024 Blank cell no outbreaks reported. | * As of Now in the Year 2024 Outbreaks reported till week 21st ending on 26/05/2024 Blank cell no outbreaks reported. | * As of Now in the Year 2024 Outbreaks reported till week 21st ending on 26/05/2024 Blank cell no outbreaks reported. |