Nipah virus death puts health officials on alert in southern India

Authorities in Kerala state, located in southern India, are implementing measures to prevent the spread of the Nipah virus following the recent death of a 14-year-old boy. The state's health minister reported that 60 individuals have been identified as being at high risk for contracting the virus.

According to a study by Reuters last year, certain areas of Kerala are among the most vulnerable globally to the spread of the virus. Nipah, originating from fruit bats and animals like pigs, can lead to a fatal fever with swelling in the brain in humans.

Nipah virus is considered a top concern by the World Health Organization due to its ability to cause widespread outbreaks. Currently, there is no available vaccine or cure for this deadly infection.

The boy who had the virus passed away on Sunday following a heart attack," Veena George, the health minister of the state, informed local television journalists in Malayalam.

Before, in a message on Saturday, she mentioned that the government has given instructions to create 25 teams to find and separate those who have been affected by Nipah.

Dr. Anoop Kumar, head of the critical care department at Aster MIMS Hospital in Calicut, mentioned that a school boy had tested positive for Nipah virus and those who came into contact with him were under observation.

"He mentioned that there is a low possibility of a Nipah virus outbreak at the moment," he stated. He also mentioned that they will continue to keep an eye on the situation for the next seven to 10 days.

The boy's primary contact list includes 214 individuals, with 60 of them falling into the high-risk category. Health institutions have established isolation wards to provide treatment for patients.

Relatives of the sick person were monitored at a nearby hospital after a Nipah virus case was verified in Malappuram, a town roughly 350 kilometers away from Kerala's main city Thiruvananthapuram, as per reports from local media. Those who may have been exposed were advised to stay at home in isolation.

The government of the state announced that they are trying to find anyone who has been impacted to stop the virus from spreading. Nipah virus has been connected to the deaths of many individuals in Kerala since it was first detected in the state in 2018.

The virus first appeared 25 years ago in Malaysia and has caused outbreaks in Bangladesh, India, and Singapore.