Nipah virus re-emerges in Kerala; teen girl succumbs in Malappuram


Kochi: Nipah virus has re-emerged in Kerala. The virus spreads from animals to humans and through contaminated food or direct human-to-human contact.

The incubation period for the virus ranges from five to 14 days after which symptoms start appearing.

Dr Naresh Purohit, Advisor, National Communicable Disease Control Program, said that the mortality rate in Nipah virus is very high which ranges from 40 to 75 percent in humans.

Recently, the death of an 18-year-old girl from Chettiyangadi in Malappuram was confirmed by the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) due to Nipah infection, while a 38-year-old woman from Thachanattukara in Palakkad district was also found infected with the virus.

383 people came in contact; 5 in ICU

In view of the re-emergence of the virus in Kerala, the Health Minister said that there are 383 people in the contact list of two persons infected with Nipah virus in the state. Of these, 12 are undergoing treatment in Malappuram district, five of whom are in ICU, while four others are being treated in isolation in Palakkad district.

Food should not be contaminated by bats

Meanwhile, Dr Purohit, the principal investigator of the National Integrated Disease Surveillance Control Program, said that no vaccine is available for this virus yet, so people are urged to take precautions. Their food should not be contaminated by bats.

It is worth noting that the first case of Nipah infection in Kerala came in 2018, after which 17 people died. Nipah virus was confirmed in 18 of these cases.

Patient can go into a coma in just two days

The symptoms of Nipah are similar to those of the influenza virus. It includes fever, headache, fainting and nausea. In some cases, symptoms like suffocation, stomach pain, vomiting, fatigue and blurred vision may also occur. The patient can go into a coma just two days after the symptoms start. There is also a high risk of infection with encephalitis, which affects the brain.

Precautions

Dr. Purohit emphasized that it is also important to keep yourself safe after coming in contact with a person infected with the virus. It is important to maintain distance from the patient and clean and wash hands thoroughly. Clothes, utensils and items commonly used in the toilet or bathroom such as buckets and mugs should be cleaned separately and hygiene should be taken care of. Hands should always be kept clean with soap or alcohol-based 'hand rub'. Hands should be washed with soap for at least twenty seconds.

Prakash Kumar Pandey

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