List of India’s Deadliest Infectious Diseases
The covid-19 pandemic has raised an alarm on infectious diseases all over the world. But the covid is not the only deadliest disease as the death rate of the coronavirus pandemic is far beyond other infectious diseases like the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), Tuberculosis, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), malaria, etc. A host of these diseases are treatable and preventable but still, they cause more deaths than the coronavirus.
Deadliest Infectious Diseases in India
There are many infectious diseases in India apart from the coronavirus, such as tuberculosis, malaria, swine flu, etc., putting more strain on the country’s already diluted healthcare resources. Some of the deadliest infectious diseases in India are as follows.
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1. Tuberculosis:
Tuberculosis is the number one infectious disease in India infecting attest 2.79 million people in the country alone. The country harbors the highest number of TB cases in the world and is closely followed by China. The worst concern is that there are resistant strains of TB bacterium in the country and drug-resistant TB infections remain a health security threat and a crisis on public health. Even the most effective drug rifampicin to treat tuberculosis has become resistant in about 4 million patients in India. The weakened immune systems of people in India and the poor sanitation in some parts of the country contribute to awarding tuberculosis as the deadliest infectious disease in India.
2. Malaria:
Malaria is still a major threat in India and the country suffered many regional outbreaks of the disease in recent years. There are many mosquito breeding grounds in India, affecting people living in unsanitary conditions in the country. The country aspires to eliminate malaria by the year 2030 and the challenge is to eliminate the drug-resistant malaria strains in India.
3. Swine Flu:
Commonly known as the HINI flu virus, it causes severe respiratory infections in people with compromised immunity. The World Health Organization declared HINI as a pandemic in 2009 and could cause emphysema and pneumonia and even respiratory failure in the affected individuals causing death.
4. SARS Infection:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome is an infectious disease that could prove to be fatal if untreated. The covid-19 virus is reported to be a mutated strain of the SARS virus that hit the world in the year 2004. The affected individuals experience shortness of breath and organ failure owing to depleted oxygen.
5. Coronavirus:
This is the new viral infection that has been awarded the status of a pandemic. Though it doesn’t cause death in all infected cases, it did take a toll on the life of the aged and immune-compromised. With no vaccines and targeted treatment available, it startled Governments all over the world, who could do nothing but watch their people fall sick and die.
Bottom Line
Many deadliest infectious diseases in India require long term medical treatment and huge treatment costs. The only way to protect from them is to lead a healthy life, with proper sanitation measures, and have health insurance to handle the huge hospital bills.
Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
