Nipah alert issued in Kerala following two ‘unnatural’ deaths: Here’s what you need to know.

In 2018, the first Nipah virus outbreak in south India was detected in the districts of Kozhikode and Malappuram.

The Kerala health department issued a health alert in Kozhikode on Monday night after two people died in the district from “unnatural” causes and were suspected of being infected with the Nipah virus (NiV). According to state health minister Veena George, relatives of one of the deceased have also been brought to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), according to PTI.

According to sources, the two fatalities were checked into a private hospital in the Kozhikode area.

The district’s predicament was discussed at a high-level meeting earlier on Monday by the state health minister.

Everything you need to know about the Kerala outbreak of the Nipah virus:

1. Kozhikode and Malappuram districts announced the first Nipah virus outbreak in south India in 2018. Since then, a significant outbreak occurred in the district in 2021.
2. The Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic disease that can be contracted by humans from animals, contaminated food, or other people, and is brought on by fruit bats, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The virus can kill not just humans but other animals. According to WHO, the virus can also cause serious illness in pigs and other animals, costing farmers a great deal of money.
3. The WHO noted on its website that the Nipah virus affects a broad variety of animals and can lead to serious illness and even death in humans, despite the fact that there have only been a few confirmed outbreaks in Asia.
4. The virus can cause serious issues like deadly encephalitis and acute respiratory sickness in those who are affected. Similar to COVID-19, the Nipah virus causes coughing, sore throats, dizziness, sleepiness, muscle discomfort, fatigue, encephalitis (brain swelling), headaches, stiff necks, sensitivity to light, confusion, and seizures.
5. Although the virus has no known cure, one can take measures like not eating fruits that have fallen to the ground, not feeding pigs, and keeping fruit bats away.