1974 Smallpox Epidemic In India
The 1974 smallpox epidemic in India infected 188,000 people, leading to the deaths of 31,000 Indians. The media reported the smallpox epidemic as the most severe of its kind. However, the claim is debatable due to improvements in reporting since the epidemics of 1875 and 1967. The 1974 epidemic occurred during the country’s intensified campaign against the virus, which saw a shift in strategy from mass vaccinations to search and containment. The year prior, vaccination programs and improved vaccination techniques, along with surveillance and investigation strategies, reduced smallpox transmission in most of the country except for a few states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The epidemic persisted in these regions in January and lasted until summer for several reasons. Smallpox was difficult to eradicate in rural, poor areas with inferior transportation and communications. During the Indian smallpox eradication campaign, over 80% of the population lived in re ...
[...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]