Seven dead, 92 inmates infected with herpes virus at overcrowded Jalpaiguri correctional home

Around 92 inmates of Jalpaiguri Central Prison (JCCH) in West Bengal were infected with Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) between August 20, 2025 and March 9 this year; Seven of the infected inmates died from the infection, sparking alarm among area health and corrections officials.

Accessed documents Hindu It shows that four reformatory inmates died at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital during this period, while three deaths were reported at Jalpaiguri District Hospital.

Although many patients recovered, nearly half of the 92 inmates affected by HSV-1 and HSV-2 had to either be isolated or treated at state-run health facilities, an official said.

The last death linked to the infection was reported on March 6, when 48-year-old inmate Deben Mondal died at Jalpaiguri Medical College and Hospital. He was admitted to the facility on March 2, the official added.

While Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Institution remains one of the overcrowded prisons in the state, the situation where more than 1,200 inmates are being held against the sanctioned capacity of around 700 is particularly worrying.

Overcrowding as an important factor

Jalpaiguri Chief Medical Officer of Health Asim Halder, in a letter dated February 18 to JCCH Superintendent Biswarup Biswas, pointed out that “overcrowding” was one of the biggest risks for the HSV outbreak.

“Other risks flagged by CMOH included close physical contact, shared use and poor personal hygiene. Recommended steps to control the virus included isolation and aggregation of infected cases, improving personal and hand hygiene, better ventilation and decongestion in barracks,” the official quoted the letter as saying.

CMOH had also recommended declaring an “internal epidemic alert within JCCH”, initiating empiric antiviral treatment for symptomatic cases, and ensuring daily monitoring by a health officer with a daily status report.

Neither Mr. Halder nor Mr. Biswas responded to repeated phone calls regarding the current status of the epidemic.

Renowned public health expert and epidemiologist Dr. Although HSV is a common virus, if left untreated, it can lead to encephalitis, a serious condition that involves inflammation of the brain, and can be fatal, Subarna Goswami said.

“It is worrying that the virus outbreak occurred within the closed walls of a correctional facility, where there is overcrowding and lack of hygiene among inmates,” he added.

according to 2023Indian Prison Statistics, A.According to the report published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the occupancy rate in district prisons in West Bengal was reported to be 158%. There are also many foreign national prisoners, especially from Bangladesh, in prisons in the state.