Cough, cold and fever may not just be the flu. Here's why you need to get it checked immediately

Do you have symptoms of fever, cough and cold? You may think it’s a flu that you have caught in summer, but it’s advisable to go get it checked, after these symptoms were part of a rare viral fever that killed three in Kerala last week.

According to the Indian Express, the district health department in Kozhikode has been maintaining vigilance after the three people – all family members – died last week.

An initial assessment of their symptoms had indicated viral encephalitis with myocarditis, but it has not been confirmed by doctors yet. The blood samples of the deceased have been sent to a medical college in Manipal to identify the specific viral strain and a report is awaited.

While state health officials were unavailable for comment, sources confirmed that a medical camp is in progress in Changaroth panchayat to assist those who may be reporting symptoms such as fever, cough, and cold. “The state health minister has held a round of talks with district health officials and is coordinating with the state health department in ensuring the situation is under control,” the report added.

Four people, who were allegedly in contact with the deceased, are undergoing treatment at private hospitals in Kozhikode. At the same time, the health department has quashed rumours, circulating on WhatsApp, that the deaths occurred due to Nipah virus, a strain whose natural hosts are said to be fruit bats, according to the WHO.

Lok Sabha MP and former union minister Mullappally Ramachandran today sought the central government's intervention to contain the outbreak of what he termed was a 'rare and deadly' virus in some parts of Kozhikode district.

In a letter to union health minister J P Nadda, a copy of which was made available to the press here, Ramachandran said some panchayats, including Kuttiyadi and Perambra, in his Lok Sabha constituency of Vatakara were in the grip of the "deadly virus."

He said some doctors have termed it as Nipah virus, while others said it was zoonotic, and that the spread is fast and fatal

"The mortality rate is reportedly 70 per cent. The spread of the disease needs to be contained," he said in the letter.

With PTI Inputs