Health officials in India are trying to end a growing outbreak of a Henipavirus that has a high mortality rate. Currently, there is no cure for it.
Nipah Virus Kills 9 In India
In May 2018, an outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus spread across the south Indian state of Kerala. Health officials confirmed that three members of a family in Kozhikode district reportedly died from the virus.
As of Tuesday, May 21, at least nine people in India have died. Some of the cases were confirmed to be directly from the virus, and other suspected cases involved similar symptoms. Officials are waiting for the medical results from the other cases.
One of the fatalities involved a nurse who reportedly treated the patients.
At least 25 other people have symptoms that are likely from the Nipah virus. Nine of those cases are considered to be critical.
What Is The Nipah Virus?
The Nipah virus is usually transmitted by animals, with most of the cases involving fruit bats. In this particular case, health officials said that bats likely bit mangoes in a home where three victims lived.
The infection was first recognized during an outbreak in 1999 among pig farmers Malaysia and Singapore. About 300 people were infected with the virus, and 100 people died. The World Health Organization considers the Nipah virus to be one of the top 10 priority diseases for the next global outbreak.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and brain inflammation. The virus has a mortality rate of 70 percent.
Controlling The Nipah Outbreak
Health officials are still trying to determine the cause of this outbreak in India.
"At the moment, we are absolutely clueless about how the virus reached Kerala," Dr. P. S. Jinesh told Firstpost. "Fruit bats are not migratory. The maximum they will fly is 300 miles. How did a virus earlier reported thousands of miles away come to northern Kerala? This can only be revealed through a minute study of all the circumstances."
Health officials are focused on ways to prevent the disease from spreading. Fever clinics and special wards have been organized. Hospitals are quarantining patients who have symptoms, and citizens who live close to the effected areas have been evacuated.
"The state has been put on a high alert after we got the confirmation," said K. K. Shailaja, Minister for Health and Social Welfare. "The central government has also been informed. We have also asked private hospitals to provide all help to patients. Their treatment cost will be borne by the state.''
