Several activities such as syndromic surveillance, integrated animal-human-wildlife surveillance, and waste-water surveillance are being undertaken through the National One Health Mission, said Dr Rajiv Bahl, ICMR DG, in a letter to Rajya Sabha member Ajeet Gopchade.

The DG also said that waste-water surveillance of 13 priority pathogens across 47 cities will be expanded to 75 cities in 2027.

This comes after the member called for a time-bound national biosecurity and biodefence strategy to tackle bioterrorism, bio-warfare, and laboratory-based biological accidents, and emerging infectious disease.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has extensively worked with stakeholders on a draft National Biosecurity Policy, the MP also said.

Five genomic and metagenomic hubs have been established to strengthen capacity for detecting novel or unknown pathogens, the DG said in his letter.