Nipah virus kills one teenager as health experts race to track 350 others

The very deadly illness - that served as the inspiration for the Hollywood movie Contagion - is ranked as a top priority pathogen by the World Health Organization.

Health authorities in India are eagerly awaiting the test results of six individuals showing symptoms of the Nipah virus, following the tragic death of a teenage boy on Sunday.

In Kerala, officials are keeping an eye on about 350 individuals who were in contact with the 14-year-old Nipah victim. This includes 101 people categorized as "high risk" and six individuals who are showing symptoms. This information was provided in an update on Monday.

The very deadly illness, which was the basis for the movie Contagion, is considered a top priority pathogen by the World Health Organization. It has the ability to cause large scale outbreaks and has a mortality rate of up to 75 percent. Unfortunately, there are no quick tests, vaccines, or specific treatments available to combat it.

The most recent epidemic in Kerala – the fifth since 2018 – was identified on Saturday, when the young boy tested positive. Just one day later, he passed away after experiencing a cardiac arrest, as reported by the health minister of the state, Veena George.

"I had hoped for a miracle, but the most heartbreaking moment came at 11.30am today," she posted on Facebook. "I offer my condolences and share in the grief of the family for the loss of their dear son."

In a recent update, Ms. George cautioned that six more people have shown signs of illness and are waiting for test results, which could come as soon as Monday night.

Signs of the lung illness can be different – it usually begins with a high temperature, head pain or body aches before progressing to lightheadedness or disorientation, which indicates swelling of the brain. In extreme situations, individuals may fall into a coma within a day.

Out of the people who make it through, about 20 percent end up with lasting neurological issues such as changes in personality or seizure disorders.

Ms. George announced on Monday that out of the samples sent for testing, six individuals are showing symptoms. Three of them were in close contact with the infected persons. Although the parents of the deceased boy are not showing symptoms, their samples have been sent for testing as a precautionary measure.

In total, they have found and watched over 350 people, with 101 of them being labeled as "high risk". Among them, approximately 68 are healthcare workers who came into contact with the young person. The rest are individuals who were on a private bus with him after he became sick.

The Nipah virus can be transmitted by coming into contact with the bodily fluids of infected animals or individuals, although it is not as easily spread as viruses such as Covid-19 and the flu.

In 1999, Malaysia and Singapore experienced their first recorded epidemic, where the virus was passed from pigs to farmers and resulted in 105 deaths. However, in Bangladesh and India, the virus has been linked to bats in smaller, occasional outbreaks.

In some situations, the individuals had drank the juice from fresh dates, which is a favorite food for bats. However, this time authorities are looking into whether the boy could have gotten the virus from eating hog plum fruit from a nearby field.

In Kerala, the disease-causing microorganism was initially discovered in 2018 during an outbreak that resulted in the deaths of 17 individuals. The virus has made occasional appearances in the area in the years following, with the latest outbreak occurring in September, resulting in the deaths of two people and the infection of four others. As a result, schools and offices were closed, and at least 800 individuals were located as the state worked quickly to prevent further spread.

There are limited options available. Even though it is classified as a "priority pathogen" by the WHO, there are still no vaccines or medications designed specifically to combat the virus.

Many vaccines are being worked on by Auro Vaccines, Public Health Vaccines, and universities in Oxford and Tokyo. Additionally, Cepi revealed that a new monoclonal antibody treatment will begin human trials in India and Bangladesh next year.

However, Prof Linfa Wang, a new expert in infectious diseases at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, informed the Telegraph that there is a pressing requirement for quick diagnostic tools to lessen the dependence on lab tests during an outbreak.

"We require a quick test similar to the Covid test we previously used. There is a lot of work involved in creating such a test, including the efforts of our team in Singapore. However, the irony lies in the fact that we need a higher number of cases to confirm the accuracy of the test," he stated.

He mentioned that the most recent outbreak serves as a reminder of the danger, but is not a reason for worldwide panic at this time.

"It's a complex situation: while we should be concerned about the continuous spillover happening every year, the fact that the virus is not highly transmissible despite frequently jumping between species is ironic," stated Prof Wang. "In general, I don't believe we should be overly worried at this point."

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