India, Sept. 27 -- Amid the ambitious target of 'zero transmission, zero leprosy' by 2027, no newly-diagnosed leprosy patient in Pune district has been reported with grade 2 disability this year, indicating that cases are being detected before the disease causes severe physical impairment; public health department officials said on Wednesday.

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which primarily affects the skin, peripheral nerves, eyes and other organs. Despite medical advancements, fear, stigma, and misconceptions about the disease persist in society. If diagnosis or treatment is delayed, patients may develop deformities (grade 2 disability/G2D). Grade 2 disability is defined by the WHO (World Health Organisa...