Nipah Virus Outbreak in Kerala

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja has said that the outbreak of Nipah virus has claimed 10 lives so far. Tests have confirmed 12 Nipah infections, out of which 10 have died,” she said. It is reported that 19 people with similar symptoms have been admitted to various hospitals in Kozhikode. According to health department the disease has been confined to Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala state. Of the 10 dead, eight are from Kozhikode and two are from Malappuram district respectively.

Kerala Health Minister said 2,000 Ribavirin tablets, anti-viral medicines, have been procured from Malaysia for treatment of patients with symptoms of Nipah virus infection. A team of doctors from the AIIMS and National Centre for Disease Control have visited Kerala to tackle the situation the minister quoted.

 Previously the Nipah virus was detected in West Bengal’s Siliguri in the year 2001 and Nadia in 2007 as reported. The virus spread's through man-to-man contact. Health officials said since the incubation period of the deadly virus is between four to 18 days they will continue to monitor all those who had possibly come in contact with some of the deceased.

Rajesh BV, a health official in Karnataka said symptoms of the virus was observed in a 20-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man in Mangalore after they travelled to Kerala and had contact with infected patients.

There is no vaccine for the virus yet,says the World Health Organisation.The main treatment for those infected is "intensive supportive care", according to the UN health body. The WHO named Nipah as one of the eight priority diseases that could cause a global epidemic, alongside the like's of Ebola and Zika. 

Source:

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/travellers-asked-to-avoid-4-kerala-districts-amid-nipah-virus-outbreak/story-jbaTlzHtYx0DfXRfIZyXnK.html

https://scroll.in/pulse/879903/kerala-at-least-10-die-of-nipah-virus-infection-two-undergoing-treatment

https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/nipah-virus-outbreak-as-goa-gujarat-exercise-caution-after-11-killed-kerala-governments-advisory-says-safe-to-travel-to-state/1179259/

http://indianexpress.com/article/smart-travel/the-spectrum-of-travelers-know-the-kind-of-traveler-you-are-5176405/

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/fear-that-nipah-virus-has-crossed-border-from-kerala-to-karnataka-1856778