India, June 18 -- The prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections in Palwal district has risen sharply in the wake of the outbreak reported earlier this year in Chainsa village, with RTI data sought from the district's health department showing positivity rates more than three times higher than levels recorded in recent years.

Data from the district health department showed that 7,305 people were screened for HBV through rapid antigen (HBsAg) tests in the first four months of 2026. Of them, 78 tested reactive, resulting in a positivity rate of 1.07% . By comparison, the positivity rate stood at 0.30% in 2025, 0.23% in 2024 and 0.28% in 2023.

The RTI data also indicates a steady rise in active hepatitis cases in the district over th...