Infection
Nipah virus in Kerala: 4 people including 9-year-old recover from infection, says Health Minister Veena George
Sep
Nipah virus update: Kerala Health Minister Veena George has shared an update on Nipah virus update in the state. The state Health Minister Veena George said that four people, including a nine-year-old boy, who were under treatment for Nipah in Kozhikode have recovered.
While speaking to news agency ANI, she shared the good news and said, “”Four people including a nine-year-old boy, who were under treatment in Kozhikode for Nipah virus, have recovered and tested double negative (two samples tested in intervals).”
A total of six people were infected with the virus in the district of them two had died. Of the two deaths, the first person who died on August 30 was found to be the index case, or patient zero, from whom others caught the infection.
Earlier on 27 September, the Kerala government had withdrawn containment in all zones and allied restrictions imposed in the northern district, as no new cases of Nipah virus have been reported here since September 16. In a Facebook post, District Collector A Geetha said that all schools located in the areas that fell within containment zones would be opened and regular classes commenced from on Wednesday.
Though the restrictions have been lifted, the district authorities have urged people to continue their vigil against the virus infection, maintain social distancing and ensure the use of masks and sanitizer.
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As of September 24, the number of people under observation was 915, but none of them were in the high-risk category, health authorities said. The number of samples tested till then was 377, and the number of negative results was 363, they added.
Earlier on 16 September, ICMR DG Dr Rajeev Bahl had said that the mortality rate of the Nipah virus is much higher than Covid-19. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, the mortality rate of Nipah is around 60 percent as compared to that of Covid which was nearly 3 percent in the country.
What is Nipah Virus?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah virus is caused by fruit bats and is potentially fatal to humans as well as animals. The Nipah virus was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak of illness among pig farmers and others in close contact with the animals in Malaysia and Singapore. The transmission of this virus to humans can also happen from infected people through close physical contact, especially by contact with body fluids.
Nipah virus symptoms
Speaking of symptoms, as per WHO, for those infected, initial symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat. Advanced stages can manifest as severe respiratory problems, encephalitis, seizures and even coma within 24 to 48 hours. The time between infection and symptom onset varies from four to 14 days but can extend up to 45 days. While most survivors recover fully from acute encephalitis, around 20 percent face lingering neurological issues such as seizures and personality changes, according to WHO.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Updated: 29 Sep 2023, 10:47 AM IST
