Alert issued in India after boy dies from high-risk Nipah virus
Health authorities in Kerala, India, have issued an alert following the death of a 14-year-old boy from the Nipah virus. The state’s health minister, Veena George, reported that 60 additional individuals have been identified as high-risk for the disease. The boy, from Pandikkad, had contact with several people who are now isolated and undergoing testing.
Residents are advised to take precautions, including wearing masks in public and avoiding hospital visits. The Nipah virus, classified as a zoonotic illness by the World Health Organization (WHO), can be transmitted from animals like pigs and fruit bats to humans, and through contaminated food or contact with infected individuals. The WHO has prioritized the virus due to its potential to cause an epidemic.
Since its initial detection in Kerala in 2018, the Nipah virus has been linked to numerous deaths in the state. The boy passed away on Sunday, just a day after being confirmed with the virus, according to Indian media reports.
It can also be transmitted through contaminated food and contact with an infected person.
Parts of Kerala are said to be the most at-risk globally for the virus. An investigation published by Reuters last year found that Kerala, which is a tropical state and is witnessing rapid urbanization and rapid tree loss, created “ideal conditions for a virus like Nipah to emerge”.
Experts say that due to habitat loss, animals are living in closer proximity to humans and this helps the virus jump from animals to humans.
The state government recently announced that it was creating an action plan to prevent a Nipah outbreak.
Last year, authorities in Kerala state closed schools and offices after confirming five cases.
