Kerala Student Contracts Deadly Nipah Virus
A 23-year-old student in Kerala has contracted the deadly Nipah Virus. This is the first confirmed case of the virus in India, in 2019.
The Nipah virus is a virus spread through bats and pigs. It originated from Sungai Nipah a village in Malaysia. This virus can be transferred to humans through contact with infected bats, infected pigs or people infected with the Nipah virus.
It can be transferred from person to person by close physical contact, especially through bodily fluids. Symptoms range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection, and swelling of the brain. Infected people first develop symptoms like fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, seizures and sore throat. It can even lead to a coma within 24 to 48 hrs. No vaccination is available for this virus.
A 23-year-old student in Kerala's Ernakulam district was tested positive for the deadly Nipah virus on 4 June. Four more people are down with fever, with two having had direct contact with the student. 80 people are under medical surveillance. 13 more patients have been added to the isolation wards.
In 2018 last year in Kozhikode, Malappuram an outbreak of the virus had killed 17 people in Kerala. The government has urged people not to panic and take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.The National Centre for Disease Control has told people to wash hands with soap and water after coming in contact with a sick person or animal, Consuming only washed fruits and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has given an assurance that an anti-NiV drug developed in Australia would be provided to deal with the disease.
A control room has been opened in Ernakulam district headquarters. Health experts suggest that due to rapid urbanisation animals and birds including bats are losing their natural habitats. This has resulted in humans coming in contact with the animals that cause outbreak of numerous diseases.
