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• Sep 15, 2023 03:18 PM IST

  Story: Nipah in Kerala: Containment zones created, ICMR delivers antibody | 10 points

  The outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in Kerala’s Kozhikode district has prompted the administration to introduce Covid era-like containment zones in nine panchayats. The authorities are scrambling to identify high-risk contacts after the state reported two deaths from the brain-damaging virus, which causes respiratory distress and encephalitis. Read More

• Sep 15, 2023 02:45 PM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Karnataka govt issues guidelines following Nipah outbreak in neighbouring Kerala

  Avoiding unnecessary travel to the affected area in Kerala and intensifying fever surveillance in the bordering districts are among the guidelines issued by Karnataka government following the Nipah outbreak in the neighbouring state.

  Training of health staff and keeping beds ready at district hospitals for quarantining the suspected cases are among the measures suggested.

  “In view of reporting of 4 confirmed Nipah cases with 2 deaths in Kozhikode district of Kerala state, the surveillance activities in the districts bordering Kerala need to be intensified to prevent the transmission of the infection,” the Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare and Ayush services said in a circular dated on September 14.

• Sep 15, 2023 02:25 PM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: What do we know so far?

  The first Nipah outbreak was recorded in 1998 after the virus spread among pig farmers in Malaysia.

  The virus is named after the village where it was discovered.

  Outbreaks are rare but Nipah has been listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) — alongside Ebola, Zika and Covid-19 — as one of several diseases deserving of priority research for their potential to cause a global epidemic.

  Nipah usually spreads to humans from animals or through contaminated food, but it can also be transmitted directly between people.

  Fruit bats are the natural carriers of the virus and have been identified as the most likely cause of subsequent outbreaks.

  Symptoms include intense fever, vomiting and a respiratory infection, but severe cases can involve seizures and brain inflammation that results in a coma.

  There is no vaccine for Nipah.

• Sep 15, 2023 02:06 PM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: What are the symptoms and how is it treated?

  There are no vaccines to prevent or cure the infection, which has a mortality rate of between about 70%. The usual treatment is to provide supportive care.

  Infected people initially develop symptoms that include fever, respiratory distress, headaches, and vomiting, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Encephalitis and seizures can also occur in severe cases, leading to coma.

  The virus is on the WHO’s research and development list of pathogens with epidemic potential.

• Sep 15, 2023 01:40 PM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: What is the Nipah virus that killed two?

  India’s southern state of Kerala shut some schools and offices this week as officials raced to halt the spread of the deadly Nipah virus, after it killed two people in the fourth outbreak since 2018.

  Here is what we know about the virus:

  WHERE DID THE VIRUS COME FROM?

  The Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak of illness among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore.

  It is able to infect humans directly through contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats and pigs, with some documented cases of transmission among humans.

  Scientists suspect Nipah has existed among flying foxes for millennia and fear a mutated, highly transmissible strain will emerge from bats.

• Sep 15, 2023 01:10 PM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Kerala to test samples of all persons in ‘high-risk’ contact list

  The Kerala government on Thursday decided to take body-fluid samples of all of those who are on the ‘high-risk’ contact list linked to the first Nipah victim, a 47-year-old man who died on August 30 in the latest outbreak of the infection in the state, reported ANI.

  State Health Minister Veena George said they had a high-level meeting this morning and after that the Principal Secretary had a meeting with officials of the Union Government.

  “We have decided to take samples of all the persons who are in the high-risk contact list of the first person, who died on August 30,” said Veena George.

  The Minister also said that the hospitals, where Nipah patients are being treated, should constitute a medical board for their treatment, and every 12 hours they should provide a medical report of the patients to the Health Department.

• Sep 15, 2023 11:41 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Kerala gets Nipah virus antibody, samples to be tested in mobile lab

  In the wake of a Nipah outbreak in Kerala’s Kozhikode district, the ICMR has delivered the antibody requested by the state to combat the deadly virus. A mobile laboratory was also sent to ground zero to enable the state to test samples, reported PTI. 

  The monoclonal antibody was delivered in Kozhikode by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday. The antiviral is the only option available to the government to treat infections, although its efficacy has not been clinically proven yet.

  The ICMR’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune sent its mobile BSL-3 (Biosafety Level-3) laboratory to Kozhikode to test samples for the virus in the district itself after five cases, including two deaths, were recorded.

• Sep 15, 2023 10:56 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Restrictions in Kozhikode’s containment zones, no Friday prayers at Kuttiady Juma Masjid

  Restrictions still continue in Nipah containment zones in Kerala’s Kozhikode.

  Secretary of Kuttiady Juma Masjid Mahallu Committee Zubair P told ANI, “In the wake of the outbreak of Nipah virus in our area…The district collector and police authorities have directed us to not gather people in the masjid. Complying with the orders we have decided to close the masjid until further orders. Friday prayers will not be held at the masjid today…We will co-operate with the government authorities to control this disease…”

• Sep 15, 2023 10:46 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: 15 samples in high-risk category sent for testing

  Amid concerns over the Nipah virus in Kerala, 15 samples of those in the high-risk category in the contact list have been sent for testing, reported ANI. 

  The contact list contains 950 people of which 213 are in the high risk category.

  287 health workers are also there in the contact list.

  Four people in high risk categories are in a private hospital and 17 people are under surveillance in Kozhikode medical college.

  Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar reviewed steps taken for containment of Nipah virus outbreak in Kozhikode, Kerala, from the Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), in Pune on Thursday.

• Sep 15, 2023 10:14 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Top five developments in Kerala since outbreak

  Nipah Virus LIVE updates: Two deaths from the Nipah virus in Kozhikode took place on August 30 and September 11.

  • Kerala has shut some schools and offices this week as officials raced to halt the spread of the deadly Nipah virus, after two people succumbed in the fourth outbreak of the virus since the year 2018.
  • Affected gram panchayats in the Kozhikode area have been declared as quarantine zones.
  • Samples of 15 people of those in the high-risk category in the contact list have been sent for testing.
  • The health official earlier said that the contact list contains 950 people of which 213 are in the high-risk category. A total of 287 health workers are also there in the contact list.
  • Four people in high-risk categories are currently in a private hospital and 17 people are under surveillance at the Kozhikode medical college.

• Sep 15, 2023 09:44 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Union Health Ministry team holds meeting with Kerala officials

  Nipah virus LIVE updates: In view of the return of the Nipah virus cases in Kerala, a team from the Union Health Ministry held a meeting with district administration in Kozhikode on Thursday.

  • The state government has strengthened measures to prevent the spread of infection after two deaths were confirmed in Kozhikode district due to the Nipah virus.
  • Kerala government on Thursday decided to take body-fluid samples of all of those who are on the ‘high-risk’ contact list linked to the first Nipah victim, a 47-year-old man who died on August 30 in the latest outbreak of the infection in the state.

• Sep 15, 2023 09:36 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Schools, colleges to remain closed in Kozhikode till tomorrow due to Nipah outbreak

  In the wake of the Nipah virus outbreak in Kozhikode district, the District Collector declared holidays for all educational institutions including Anganwadis, Madrasas, tuition centres including professional colleges on September 16, in addition to the two-day holiday already declared for September 14 and September 15, reported ANI.

  Meanwhile, the university and PSC exam schedules remain unchanged.

  “All tuition centres and coaching centres in the district should not function on these days. Educational institutes can arrange online classes. These days should not be an occasion for celebrations. Avoid unnecessary travel and gatherings. Caution is prevention”, said the Kozhikode DC A Geetha in her Facebook post.

  Earlier, amid rising concerns over the return of the Nipah virus in Kerala, the state government strengthened measures to prevent the spread of the infection a day after two deaths from the same were confirmed in Kozhikode district.

• Sep 15, 2023 09:14 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: Kerala’s tourism sector not affected by Nipah scare, says minister Riyas

  Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas said on Thursday that the state’s tourism sector was not affected by the Nipah scare. “There is no restriction on travelling anywhere in Kerala. It is absolutely safe to travel to Kerala,” he told PTI. Riyas said there are still large numbers of domestic and international tourists coming to Kerala, and no travel advisories have been issued. 

  Riyas, who oversees the government’s measures to prevent the spread of the virus in Kozhikode, where the outbreak was reported, said even in containment zones there are not many issues, and there is no restriction on travel to the district either. The outbreak of Nipah was reported when the tourist season began in the state. The key sector, which provides direct and indirect employment to several thousands of people and revenue for the state exchequer, had just recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Sep 15, 2023 08:47 AM IST

  Nipah Virus Live Updates: One more case of Nipah virus confirmed; total tally now at 6

  One more case of Nipah virus confirmed in a 39-year-old man who is under observation in a hospital in Kozhikode: Health Minister’s Office, reported ANI. 

• Sep 15, 2023 08:15 AM IST

  Rajasthan issues ‘alert’ for medical officials in wake of Kerala Nipah outbreak

  The Rajasthan government on Thursday directed medical officials to remain “alert” regarding any Nipah outbreak in the wake of cases being reported from Kerala’s Kozhikode district, PTI reported.

  The medical and health services department director has issued an advisory in this regard to the principals of all medical colleges and chief medical and health officers of all districts.

  The department has also issued an advisory for health workers.

  The brain-damaging virus has killed two people and infected three others in Kozhikode district. A five-member central team has been stationed in Kerala to take stock of the situation and assist the state government in managing the situation.

• Sep 15, 2023 07:52 AM IST

  Karnataka govt issues circular, intensifies surveillance at border areas with Kerala

  In view of Nipah cases in Kerala, Karnataka Govt issued a circular and has advised the general public to avoid unnecessary travel to affected areas of Kerala; intensify surveillance in the bordering districts to Kerala ( Kodagu, Dakshin Kannada, Chamrajanagara & Mysore) and at the points of entries to Karnataka: Karnataka Health Dept, reported ANI.