About 92 inmates of Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home (JCCH) in West Bengal were infected with the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) between August 20, 2025 and March 9 this year, with seven of the infected inmates losing thier lives due to the infection, prompting alarm among district health and correctional administration officials.
Documents accessed by The Hindu show that during this period, four inmates from the correctional home died at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, while three deaths were reported at Jalpaiguri District Hospital.
An official said that while several patients have recovered, almost half of the 92 inmates affected by HSV-1 and HSV-2 had to be either segregated or put under treatment at State-run health facilities.
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 had been admitted to the facility on March 2, the official added.
The situation is particularly concerning as Jalpaiguri Central Correctional Home remains one of the overcrowded prisons in the State, with more than 1,200 inmates lodged against a sanctioned capacity of about 700.
