'Undiagnosed fever' claims 15 lives in Gujarat, government issues alert

Kutch: Following an undiagnosed fever outbreak that has resulted in 15 deaths in Kutch, Gujarat, the Union health ministry has implemented a comprehensive surveillance system to address such emergencies swiftly. Official sources reported on Saturday that the surveillance includes monitoring key entry points like airports, land ports, and seaports for the disease.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), IHIP network, and the One Health Mission have all been mobilised to respond promptly to the outbreak. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is overseeing diagnostics through its network of laboratories, ensuring the availability of diagnostic kits if needed.

Under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), the government has enhanced tertiary care nationwide through AIIMS institutes and has improved emergency services with additional critical care blocks. Adequate medical oxygen supplies are also in place to handle any emergency.


The Gujarat government has sent specialist doctors and 50 medical teams to seven villages across two talukas in Kutch district. Samples from infected patients have been forwarded to the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar and the National Institute of Virology in Pune to determine the exact cause of the fever and the associated fatalities.

Inputs from PTI