Nipah Virus Resurfaces in Kerala: Two Fatalities Spark Concern; Central Team Dispatched
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Confirms Deaths, Urgent Measures Taken to Contain Outbreak
KOZHIKODE: The Nipah virus, a deadly zoonotic pathogen, has reemerged in Kerala's Kozhikode district, claiming the lives of two individuals, according to Union Health Minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya. In response to the alarming development, a central team of experts has been swiftly dispatched to Kerala to assess the situation and collaborate with the state government in managing the Nipah virus outbreak.
The Kerala Health Department reported last night that two individuals had succumbed to an "unnatural death" following fever-related symptoms in Kozhikode on Monday. Additionally, the department disclosed that the relatives of one of the deceased were currently receiving intensive care.
Minister Mandaviya, addressing reporters, confirmed the two fatalities due to the Nipah virus in Kozhikode and emphasized the critical role of the expert team sent to the state. The central team's deployment is aimed at comprehensively evaluating the situation and assisting the state government in effectively combating the infection. Sources indicate that samples from four more individuals in Kerala have been dispatched to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for rigorous testing to determine the presence of the potentially lethal virus.
Earlier today, the Kerala government established a control room in Kozhikode, urging residents to don masks as a precautionary measure. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a Facebook post, conveyed the government's deep concern over the loss of lives. However, he reassured the public, stating that most individuals who had close contact with the deceased were currently under medical care.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George conducted a high-level meeting to assess the situation in Kozhikode, highlighting the heightened vigilance of the entire health department in the district. It is worth noting that Kozhikode had previously witnessed Nipah virus-related fatalities in 2018 and 2021.
ABOUT NIPAH VIRUS....
Nipah virus infection, as classified by the World Health Organization, primarily spreads from animals to humans. This highly contagious disease can also be transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or via person-to-person contact.