Nipah Virus: Center Forms Team To Investigate Disease In Kerala

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Nipah Virus: Center Forms Team To Investigate Disease In Kerala

The Center formed a team to investigate the recent outbreak of the Nipah virus in Kerala that has officially claimed three lives. The Director of National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) will lead the team.

On Sunday, the Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda tweeted, “Reviewed the situation of deaths related to Nipah virus in Kerala with Secretary Health. I have directed Director NCDC to visit the district and initiate required steps as warranted by the protocol for the disease in consultation with State Government.”

So far, nine deaths have been reported in Kozhikode out of which three have to confirmed to be the Nipah virus. The samples of the remaining victims are sent for testing to confirm the cause of death.  

The Kerala State Health Minister K. K. Shylaja explained, “The kind of virus that caused the disease has not been ascertained. Blood and other samples of the deceased have been sent to the National Virology Institute in Pune. The results will be made available in a few days.”

The Nipah virus or NiV infection is a rare disease that shows symptoms like breathing trouble, inflammation of the brain, headache, fever, delirium, disorientation and drowsiness. This disease can cause the patient to fall into a coma within 48 hours of being infected.

The World Health Organization confirmed there is no vaccine for the virus yet. The United Nations Health body explained the main treatment for those infected is intensive supportive care.    

The virus can infect animals just as bad as it affects humans with a 70% mortality rate. Nipah virus is spread by fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family and can be easily transmitted. The virus can spread from eating the fruit that has been in contact with the infected fruit bat. It also spreads from person to person through direct contact.

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