A fatal Virus has caught the attention of the Kerala health authorities following the death of a 24-year-old patient. The first Kerala Nipah virus outbreak was detected on May 19, 2018, in the Kozhikode district of Kerala. Following the second death in Kerala as a result of the Nipah virus infection, the authorities of the Health Ministry were notified.
What is the Nipah Virus?
Nipah Virus is a dreadful virus and easily permissible from animals to patients. The infected people often undergo hazardous symptoms ranging from asymptomatic clinical infections to respiratory illnesses that can result in death. Another observation of the Kerala Nipah virus outbreak is the presence of serious infections in animals, including pigs.
Nipah Virus Symptoms
The person who contracted the virus may face several symptoms ranging from:
- Muscle pain
- Drowsiness
- Headaches
- Sore throat
- Vomiting
- Respiratory problems
- Fever
Patients have encountered severe seizures and Encephalitis, which proceed to a coma state within 1 to 2 days of contraction. The time between infection and the onset of symptoms is known as the incubation period, and it normally lasts 4 to 14 days.
How does the Nipah Virus spread from person to person?
According to the World Health Organization, the first Nipah virus outbreak was recognized in Malaysia, followed by Singapore. At this time, the study stated that most human Nipah virus infections were due to contact with sick pigs, tissues of sick animals, unprotected secretions from the pigs, or their contaminants.
In addition, scientists have solved the greatest enigma behind the Nipah virus’s propagation in Bangladesh and India. The primary source is contaminated saliva and urine from infected fruit bats. Human-to-human transmissions are also possible among family members and caretakers of the infected patients. Meanwhile, human secretions and excretion confirmed the latest Kerala Nipah virus outbreak in India.
How did the 24-year-old patient contract the Nipah virus Infection?
According to the reports, the 24-year-old patient was a postgraduate student of psychology from Thiruvali panchayat, Malappuram. The man had returned from his hometown on August 25, 2024, due to a leg injury. His condition deteriorated on September 5 when he developed a severe fever. He sought treatment from local doctors.
The patient’s condition worsened, and he showed symptoms of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). The man eventually died on September 8, 2024. Reports say that his entire family is under strict lockdown, and he has no clinical symptoms till September 16, 2024.
The medical officers and staff of the health facility centres in Gopalpura and Chikkabanavara are following up with the primary and secondary contacts. A team from the disease surveillance unit visited the institute where the man was studying. It was established that approximately thirty-two students and college employees attended the patient’s burial, while three students paid the patient a visit into the hospital.
Three main contacts, according to Dr. Ansar Ahmed, were from Bengaluru and had asymptomatic symptoms. The department is on high alert and taking every necessary precaution to prevent the Nipah virus in Kerala.
Precaution measures taken by the Kerala Health Government
Kerala Health Minister Veena George stated that the deceased’s test result was found to be positive owing to the test carried out at the National Institute of Virology, Pune. Around 175 people were in contact with the deceased patient. Among them, 74 were health personnel, 126 were his principal contacts, and 49 were secondary contacts.
Of the primary contact, 104 people, including his parents and relatives, are in the high-risk category. Ten of them are being treated at the Manjeri Medical College Hospital. Meanwhile, 13 people’s samples were sent for testing, which was found negative.
Strict restrictions imposed during the Kerala Nipah Virus Outbreak
The Health Ministry of the Kerala Government has implemented specific protocols in the contaminated zones to prevent people from crowding in restricted areas. Those protocols are as follows:
- Partial lockdowns in the Mallapuram district of Kerala.
- It is forbidden for people to accumulate in big groups.
- Schools, colleges, cinema halls, Anganwadi, and all tuition centres will remain shut down in the contaminated zones.
- Masks and sanitation measures are mandatory.
- Shops to stay closed by 7 pm.
- Participants attending funerals and weddings are restricted to a few numbers only.
- Five wards in two panchayat districts were declared as contaminated zones.
- All these are imposed within the 3km radius of the contaminated house area.
Treatment and Diagnosis against the Nipah Virus Infection
Currently, no vaccines have been launched against the Nipah virus infection. On the other hand, infections happen and can be identified while the illness is acute and recovering. There are two main tests used:
- Antibody Detection through ELISA Test
- Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from bodily fluids
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay
- Virus isolation by cell culture
