In an age of global travel and dense living, the article “5 most contagious diseases in the world: How they spread and how to protect yourself” from Times of India highlights five diseases that are especially transmissible—and therefore deserve our attention.

The piece explains how some pathogens exploit airborne droplets, contaminated surfaces, close-contact transmission or shared utensils to spread rapidly. It emphasises that while medical advances have limited many threats, individual vigilance remains vital. Conditions such as packed indoor gatherings, low vaccination coverage and delayed detection increase risk.

Prevention strategies outlined include:

• Staying current on vaccinations, especially for diseases like Measles which spreads to 90 % of un­vaccinated close contacts.
• Maintaining hygiene: hand-washing with soap, avoiding touching the face, sanitising objects and surfaces.
• Isolating promptly when symptoms appear and avoiding close-contact settings until cleared.
• Being alert to outbreaks and respecting public-health advisories on travel or gatherings.