23-yr old infected with Nipah virus in Kerala: All you should know

What is this 'deadly Nipah virus'? Can it be contained? How does it spread? How is one infected by Nipah and what is the cure? - these are some of the points we've covered here.

Almost a year after 'Nipah' (NiV) caused panic in Kerala after claiming over 17 lives, the deadly virus is back in the state. On Tuesday, Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja confirmed that a 23-year-old college has been infected with the Nipah virus in Kochi. The results of blood samples of the student were tested at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. The government is preparing a list of people who were in contact with the infected youth. The government has so far listed out at least 86 people who he came in contact with recently. They have been kept under observation and asked to report to the nearest medical facility if they develop influenza-like symptoms like fever, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat.

Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told reporters that there is no need to panic, after chairing high level meeting on Nipah Virus in Kerala this morning.

He also said that the wildlife department had been asked to capture bats for testing of the virus.

This is the fourth outbreak reported in India, with previous ones having occurred in 2001 (45 deaths), 2007 (5 deaths) and 2018 (17 deaths). What is this 'deadly Nipah virus'? Can it be contained? How does it spread? How is one infected by Nipah and what is the cure? - these are some of the points we've covered here.

What is Nipah virus (NiV)?

Nipah virus (NiV) infection is a zoonosis that can affect both humans and animals. Zoonosis refers to a disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals.

According to WHO, the host of Nipah virus is fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus (fruit-eating species).

How does it spread?

Nipah virus can spread through direct contact with infected bats, pigs, or from other NiV-infected people.

Symptoms of the Nipah virus
Typically, human infection presents as an encephalitic syndrome marked by fever, headache, drowsiness, disorientation, mental confusion, coma, and potentially death.

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