Surveillance Beefed Up Amid Undiagnosed Fever Outbreak in Kutch

In response to an undiagnosed fever claiming 15 lives in Gujarat's Kutch, the Union health ministry has set up a comprehensive surveillance mechanism. Points of entry are closely monitored and the government is prepared both in diagnostics and critical care through national health infrastructure initiatives.

In the wake of an undiagnosed fever claiming 15 lives in Gujarat's Kutch, the Union health ministry has set up a surveillance mechanism to immediately respond to such outbreaks, official sources said on Saturday.

They reported that entry points such as airports, land ports, and seaports are being closely monitored for the disease.

The government has established an effective surveillance mechanism through the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), IHIP network, and One Health Mission to respond swiftly to any such outbreaks, according to the sources.

The ICMR's extensive laboratory network will handle diagnostics, with ample capabilities to increase the supply of diagnostic kits if required, they indicated.

Under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), the government has bolstered tertiary care across the country through AIIMS institutes, while also enhancing emergency services via critical care blocks.

Additionally, authorities assure that sufficient medical oxygen is available to manage any such exigencies.

The Gujarat government has deployed specialist doctors and 50 medical teams to seven villages in Kutch district following the outbreak.

Specimens from infected patients have been sent to the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar and the National Institute of Virology in Pune for identifying the exact cause of the fever and associated deaths.

(With inputs from agencies.)