2nd Nipah Death in Kerala: Here's Everything You Should Know from Symptoms to Precautions

Kerala  Health Minister Veena George confirmed on Sunday that a 24-year-old man who died recently at a private hospital in Malappuram was infected with the Nipah virus.

George said the suspicion of Nipah infection arose after a death investigation conducted by the Regional Medical Officer.

Following the confirmation, Health Minister Veena George called an emergency meeting and instructed authorities to take all the steps as per the protocol. Additionally, the samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, which also confirmed Nipah infection.

The minister said 16 committees were formed on Saturday night itself and a contact list of 151 people has been identified.

She said the man had travelled with his friends to various places and the close contacts had been isolated.

What is the Nipah virus?

According to World Health Organisation, Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Although the Nipah virus has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people, making it a public health concern.  

How Does the virus spread? 

Unlike COVID-19, Nipah is not a fast-spreading disease. However, the high mortality rate of the virus makes it more dangerous. According to the WHO, human infections during the first-ever Nipah outbreak in 1999 in Malaysia were “caused by direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues.

Transmission is thought to have occurred via unprotected exposure to secretions from the pigs, or unprotected contact with the tissue of a sick animal". Later, the WHO informed that fruit bats are the natural hosts of the virus.

Symptoms

Once infected with the Nipah Virus, people suffer from various symptoms.

As per the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), the symptoms of the Nipah virus become prominent between 3-14 days when fever and headache become common.

Respiratory swelling, cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing accompany the cold and the fever.

The most lethal symptom of the Nipah virus is brain swelling. Other severe symptoms include disorientation, drowsiness, confusion, coma and seizures. The lethality of the virus is between 40-75%.

Precautions:

-Avoiding close contact: Stay away from infected individuals, especially those showing symptoms, and avoid close contact with their bodily fluids.

-Hygiene: Practicing good hand hygiene by frequently washing hands with soap and water can help reduce the risk of infection.
-Avoid fruit bats: Nipah Virus is often transmitted through fruit bats. Avoid contact with them and do not consume fruits that may have been contaminated by bat saliva or urine.
-Quarantine measures: Rapidly identifying and isolating suspected cases can help prevent the virus from spreading within communities.
-Awareness: Stay informed about outbreaks in your region and follow public health guidelines.
-Protective gear: Healthcare workers should use appropriate personal protective equipment when caring for infected individuals.

 Currently there are no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection, even though the WHO has identified Nipah as a priority disease for the WHO Research and Development Blueprint. Treatment is limited to supportive care and syndromic management of acute encephalitis syndrome.