A health alert has been sounded by the Kerala Health Department after two “unnatural” deaths were reported in Kozhikode, suspected to be due to a new virus outbreak in the area. It is feared that the deaths might be caused due to the Nipah virus.
It is suspected that a dangerous Nipah virus outbreak is currently going on in Kerala city, which can lead to a much higher percentage of death. Nipah virus has raised an alarm as it is majorly untraceable, and has a fatality rate of 40 to 75 percent, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
What is Nipah virus?
Nipah virus is an infection spread through animals in humans. It is majorly spread through animals like bats and pigs. The virus can also be transmitted to humans through contaminated food or water, and can even lead to death in some cases.
Further, the Nipah virus can also spread from human to human after infection from an animal. What makes the Nipah virus unique and scary is that in the majority of the cases, the virus remains undetected and untraceable since it has no initial symptoms.
Nipah virus is asymptomatic, and has a fatality rate of 40-75 percent, depending on the rate of outbreak. Nihap virus sees yearly outbreaks in India, Malaysia and several Asian countries, and can be highly dangerous if not contained at the initial stage.
Symptoms and treatment of Nipah virus
Nipah virus is usually asymptomatic and can remain undetected in humans for several days after infection. In some cases, symptoms appear nearly two weeks after infection, with early signs including fever, headaches and respiratory issues like cold, cough and breathing difficulties.
Till now, there is no specific medication or vaccine for humans or animals to cure or prevent the Nipah virus. However, the virus can be treated by managing and taking medication for the symptoms in the early stages of infection.
READ | Kerala: Nipah virus alert in Kozhikode after two 'unnatural' deaths
