Written By: N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe | Published : January 10, 2026 9:51 AM IST
Typhoid Outbreak In India: A major typhoid outbreak has been reported across cities in India, like Gandhinagar, Greater Noida and Hyderabad, after dozens of residents drank contaminated water supply. The water crisis across cities in India has alarmed health officials and the public as people started reporting falling ill with classic symptoms of the highly contagious disease, such as fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting. As per reports, the first case of diarrhoea appeared earlier in the week, with many children among those affected. As concerns keep mounting about this bacterial illness, let's delve deeper to understand how deadly typhoid disease can be.
Typhoid is caused by a type of Salmonella bacteria, such as Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), typhoid is spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by the typhoid bacterium. The US health agency notes that 11 to 21 million people across the globe are affected by the typhoid virus.
Multiple reports show that typhoid is more common in South Asian countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, including East Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America and the Middle East. A 2019 Lancet Report explains why, it states, "The South Asian environment is conducive to the transmission of typhoid fever because of the rapid unplanned urbanisation, urban-rural disparities, poor access to improved water and sanitation facilities, and the common practice of open defecation. The Indian government has intensified efforts to improve sanitation."
When the virus that causes typhoid enters or lives in a human, it can travel to their bloodstream and intestinal tract, making a person fall ill with certain symptoms, apart from rashes, such as:
Typhoid is a life-threatening illness that can lead to severe complications or death. An infection that is caused by gut bacteria spreading throughout your body can cause sepsis, bleeding in the intestine and weakness in an artery called a mycotic aneurysm.
The best way to protect yourself against typhoid fever is by getting a vaccine on time. Apart from it following few lifestyle tips are crucial to stay safe from the typhoid outbreak in India. Follow these:
WebMD explains, "About 5% of people who have recovered from typhoid fever are carriers. This means that even though you look and feel fine, you can still pass the bacteria in your pee in poop. This can last a year or even longer. Your doctor can test to see if you still carry the S.Typhi bacteria."
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