Jobaaj Stories
On Monday night, the Kerala health department issued a health alert in Kozhikode following the deaths of two individuals from suspected Nipah virus (NiV) infections. Both victims were admitted to a private hospital in Kozhikode district. The state health minister convened a high-level meeting to assess the situation in the district.
As per Indian Express, If the test results confirm Nipah virus infection, these would mark the first cases in India in four years, with the most recent case being a 23-year-old Kerala student in 2019. Fortunately, that outbreak was swiftly contained with just one case, and genomic sequencing indicated its similarity to the 2018 outbreak that claimed 17 out of 19 infected individuals.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah virus is a zoonotic illness transmitted from animals to humans, as well as through contaminated food or direct human-to-human contact. is caused by fruit bats. This virus can also inflict harm on animals, particularly pigs, resulting in substantial economic losses for farmers.
There are some common symptoms including acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. they closely resemble those of COVID-19, encompassing cough, sore throat, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle pain, fatigue, encephalitis (brain inflammation), headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, mental confusion, and seizures.
While there is currently no definitive treatment for Nipah virus infection, precautionary measures can be taken, such as refraining from consuming fallen fruits, avoiding contact with pigs, and preventing access to fruit bats.
