New Delhi:

A 14-year-old boy from Pandikkad in Malappuram tested positive for Nipah on Saturday. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune confirmed the infection.

“NIV, Pune has confirmed the infection. Residents of Malappuram should remain vigilant. The boy is in critical condition and has been shifted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital,” state Health Minister Veena George said. 

“The timings of the child’s travel will be released with the route map. People who travelled with the child should inform the department using the Nipah control rooms. The control rooms will assist people with tests and clear their concerns,” the minister added.

The Kerala health department shared that 214 individuals who had contact with the teenager are under observation. Among them, 60 are categorised as high-risk. Those being monitored will be isolated, and samples from the high-risk group will be collected and tested promptly. A 24-hour control room has been set up at the government rest house in Malappuram. The district collector, police chief and other officials will meet to decide whether to impose restrictions within a 3-kilometre radius of the outbreak’s epicentre.

Earlier, in 2018, at least 17 people from the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts died due to the Nipah virus. Amid the rising concerns over the spread of the virus, listed below are the causes, symptoms and treatment:

Causes:

Transmission: The Nipah virus is primarily spread from fruit bats to humans. Contact with infected bats, their saliva or contaminated food can transmit the virus. Human-to-human transmission has also been observed, particularly through respiratory droplets and bodily fluids.

Symptoms:

Initial symptoms often include fever, headache and muscle pain, with an incubation period ranging from 5 to 14 days post-exposure.

As the disease progresses, symptoms can escalate to encephalitis (brain inflammation), seizures and confusion. Respiratory issues such as cough and sore throat may also appear.

In severe cases, the virus can lead to coma and death, with a mortality rate ranging from 40% to 75% depending on the outbreak.

Treatment:

There is no specific antiviral treatment for the Nipah virus. Health officials often focus on supportive care, including maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and addressing symptoms as they arise.

Prevention:

The World Health Organization recommends to minimise contact with fruit bats and pigs, especially in outbreak areas. Ensure food is thoroughly cooked and avoid consuming raw or partially cooked fruits.

Good hygiene practices such as frequent handwashing and using personal protective equipment, are essential in preventing the spread of the virus.

New Delhi:

Kerala shut some schools and offices this week as officials raced to halt the spread of the deadly Nipah virus, after it killed two people in the fourth outbreak since 2018.

Here is what we know about the virus:

Where did Nipah virus come from?

The Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak of illness among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore.

It is able to infect humans directly through contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats and pigs, with some documented cases of transmission among humans.

Scientists suspect Nipah has existed among flying foxes for millennia and fear a mutated, highly transmissible strain will emerge from bats.

How is Nipah virus treated?

There are no vaccines to prevent or cure the infection, which has a mortality rate of between about 70%. The usual treatment is to provide supportive care.

Infected people initially develop symptoms that include fever, respiratory distress, headaches, and vomiting, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Encephalitis and seizures can also occur in severe cases, leading to coma.

The virus is on the WHO’s research and development list of pathogens with epidemic potential.

Where were earlier Nipah virus outbreaks?

The 1998 outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore killed more than 100 people and infected nearly 300. Since then, it has spread thousands of miles, killing between 72% and 86% of those infected.

More than 600 cases of Nipah virus human infections were reported between 1998 to 2015, WHO data shows.

A 2001 outbreak in India and two more in Bangladesh killed 62 of 91 people infected.

In 2018, an outbreak in Kerala claimed 21 lives, with other outbreaks in 2019 and 2021.

Parts of Kerala are among those most at risk globally for outbreaks of bat viruses, a Reuters investigation showed in May.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)