​Prison outbreak, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• From August 20, 2025, to March 9, 2026, 92 inmates at Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home contracted herpes simplex virus (HSV), resulting in 7 deaths.
• The Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home has a 171% occupancy rate, exacerbating hygiene and isolation challenges.
• A 2023 study found that prisoners in India are five times more likely to develop tuberculosis (TB) than the general population.
• The India Justice Report 2025 revealed a 43% vacancy rate for medical officers in prisons.

Detailed Insights:

• Overcrowding in prisons, with some facilities in West Bengal exceeding 400% occupancy, contributes to the spread of infectious diseases.
• In 2023, 30% of inmates in 10 prisons in Kerala had skin diseases due to humidity and lack of personal space.
• The Home Ministry ordered prison screening camps in 2025 due to the rapid spread of TB in unventilated environments.
• HIV prevalence among inmates is significantly higher than the national average due to shared equipment and inadequate screening.
• Integrating prisons into the National Health Mission, ensuring sufficient health workers, and enforcing the Model Prison Manual are crucial steps.
• Releasing undertrials, expanding bail options, and expediting repatriation of foreign nationals can help relieve overcrowding.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV): A common virus that can cause infections, and in immunocompromised individuals, can lead to fatal encephalitis.
• Tuberculosis (TB): An infectious disease that typically attacks the lungs and can spread rapidly in unventilated environments.
• Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain, often caused by viral infections, which can be fatal if left untreated.