Nipah Virus: Kerala On High Alert Amid Fresh Outbreak; Travel Advisory Issued

The southern state of Kerala is once again on high alert following the latest outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus. The caution comes after the recent death of a 14-year-old boy in Malappuram district. According to Kerala Health Minister Veena George, the close relatives of the teenager had tested negative for the virus. She added that precautionary measures such as wearing face masks in public areas could not be lifted yet.

Earlier, the health minister notified that over 60 people were identified as being in the high-risk category of having the disease. All of those identified as high-risk tested negative for the virus. So far, eight people with Nipah symptoms have been admitted to the hospital and are undergoing treatment at this moment.

About Nipah Virus infection

• Nipah virus was first identified 25 years ago in Malaysia. The deadly virus is estimated to have a case fatality rate as high as 75% and there it is known to have the potential to cause another pandemic.

• The medical fraternity is yet to have any vaccine to prevent the infection. The Nipah virus is transmitted to humans from animals such as fruit bats or pigs.

• The virus is known to cause a lethal brain-swelling fever in humans. The World Health Organization says human infections can range from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory infection.

Kerala Nipah outbreak: Travel advisory Malappuram

Following the recent death in Malappuram district on July 21, Karnataka’s Health Department has issued a travel advisory asking people to avoid travel to the affected areas of Kerala unless it is essential.

“Karnataka has been taking all necessary actions to check the cross-border transmission of infection from Kerala whenever an outbreak is reported. There is no need to panic as all the high-risk contacts of the 14-year-old boy, who died in Malappuram, have tested negative,” an official statement said.

“Further, as the boy exhibited Acute Encephalitis Syndrome symptoms, the chance of human-to-human transmission seems very less, and there is no need for panic at this moment. But as a precautionary step, one may avoid travel until it is essential, to the affected areas of Kerala (Mallapuram district), till the area is declared safe from Nipah virus infection,” the statement said.

“It is important to note that although Nipah outbreaks have been reported in Kerala in the past, with the most recent one occurring in 2023 in the Kozhikode district, no cases have been reported in Karnataka till date,” the statement added.