TTT NEWS NETWORK
KOLKATA, 13 SEPTEMBER 2023:
The Kerala government has confirmed that four people are still suffering from Nipah Virus while two persons have already died.
The present Nipah Virus ourbreak in Kerala is a variant of Bangladesh and is spread from humans to humans. An expert team of National Institute of Virology in Pune has reached Kozikhode and will camp here untill the decease is controlled.
Health Minister of Kerala, Veena Goerge said that this variant is less infectitious but has a high mortality rate. Normally the Nipah virus is transmitted to huamns from infected bats, pigs and humans.
A red alert has been sounded at Kozikhode, Malapurram and Wayanad districts. Containment zones has been declared in seven panchayat areas in Kozikhode district.
Inside the contianment zones stores will be closed at 5 PM. All the vehicles passing through these containment zones have been directed not to stop in these zones. Schools are offices are also closed in these areas.
At Kozikhode Medical College 75 beds have been kept for the Nipah Virus patients.
Union health minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said that he has talked with the Kerala government today and the Nipah virus is mostly spread through infected bats in Kerala.
A mobile laboratory has been set up at Kozokhode Medical College.
There is no vaccine or medicine of Nipah Virus till date. Neighbouring states of Kerala are also worried after the recent outbreak of the deadly virus.
Indian Council of Medical Research is also keeping a tab on the current situation.
Extensive deforestation have disturbed the habitat of the bats and the creatures are coming in close contact with the humans in Kerala leading to such virus outbreaks in recent years.
This is the fourth instance of outbreak of Nipah Virus in the God’s Own Country.
With the long festive season coming ahead, travel agents and tour operators are very much anxious with the news of the two deaths and the Nipah Virus outbreak in Kerala.
The Champions boat racing is going on in Kerala at the moment. The upcoming tourism merts are the Malabar Tourism Fest from 21 st to 30 st September, Paradise Kerala from 16 to 27 November, CII Kerala Health Tourism from 26 to 27 October in Ernakulam.
Tourism in Kerala will face a severe jolt if the Nipah Virus is not controlled soon.
About the Nipah Virus :
Nipah virus (NiV) is a highly pathogenic emerging virus in the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Henipavirus. The virus was first detected in 1998 when it caused an outbreak of severe disease in pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore and mortality of around 40%. Pigs were most likely infected after eating fruit contaminated by infected fruit bats the animal reservoir of NiV. This was then followed by pig-to-human infection, but only very limited human-to-human transmission was reported. Since then, NiV has caused near annual outbreaks in Bangladesh and India. Reported outbreaks in these countries involve fewer patients, but a higher case-fatality rate of up to 75% and, in contrast to the Malaysia outbreak, well-documented cases of human-to-human transmission. It has been hypothesized that the source for NiV infection in index cases in India and Bangladesh is palm sap contaminated with bat urine. NiV-caused disease is generally characterized by the onset of non-specific symptoms such as fever, headache, dizziness, and muscle aches/pains. Currently, no approved vaccine or countermeasure exist. ( According to the Jenner Institute)
Advertisement:
Add Comment