Kerala confirms deadly Nipah outbreak

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 4

Central experts reached Kerala to oversee response to the Nipah virus outbreak in the state where a student, 21, tested positive for the infection in Ernakulum today.

This is the second Nipah outbreak in Kerala and the fourth in the country.

The 2018 Nipah outbreak in Kerala led to 17 deaths and was traced to fruit bats in Kozhikode’s Perambara where the index case was detected. The man was having water from a well infested with fruit bats.

After last year’s lessons, health systems responded immediately today with Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan speaking to his Kerala counterpart KK Shailaja and offering all help.

After the emergency meeting here, the Health Ministry activated the National Centre for Disease Control, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) to meet the Nipah challenge. ICMR’s NIV is the only lab in the country equipped to catch large fruit bats and test these. NIV teams left for Kerala today to study the source of infection.

ICMR also despatched to Government Medical College Kozhikode a consignment of what scientists call “a wonder anti-Nipah drug” which India had procured from Queensland (Australia) last year under emergency imports. ICMR’s Ganga Khedkar said, “There is no licensed vaccine or drug for NiV across the world but after extensive review of literature last year, we found that Monoclonal 102.4 antibodies against Nipah virus developed by Dr Christopher C Broder of Australia had shown promising results. The Queensland government has maintained a stockpile of m102.4 antibodies for emergency use and had agreed to send us 50 doses based on 1.5 gram per 75 kg person free of cost. These antibodies have been sent to Kerala today and will be administered to suspected cases on a need basis.”

Emergency procurement was done because Nipah is a potentially fatal infection with mortality ranging from 70 to 100 per cent.

Kerala Health Minister told people not to panic but advised them precautions.

The Nipah virus commonly affects animals such as bats, pigs, dogs and horses. Spread of the virus to humans may occur after close contact with other infected people, bats, or infected pigs.

Bat secretions laden with virus can infect people during fruit tree climbing, eating and handling contaminated fallen fruits or consuming raw date palm sap or juice or toddy. Since human-to-human spread is fast, the Kerala Government has set up isolation facilities.

SECOND TIME IN COASTAL STATE

VIRUS ORIGIN

The virus derives its name from the Malaysian village where it was first discovered and fruit bats of genus Pteropus are identified as its natural reservoirs

ITS SYMPTOMS

Illness commonly presents as brain fever. In some cases, during early part of illness, it may also present with fever with persistent cough and difficulty in breathing

WHO ALL AT RISK

• People exposed to areas inhabited by fruit bats and articles contaminated by bat secretions 
• Persons with direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues 
• Persons in close contact with a Nipah-affected deceased during burial or cremation rituals
• Health workers with direct contact with probable or confirmed cases without taking standard safety measures

SAFETY MEASURES

• Wash hands after coming in contact with a sick person or animal; avoid consuming raw date palm sap or toddy
• Consume only washed fruits; avoid entering into abandoned wells
• Handle bodies in accordance with govt advisory

PAST OUTBREAKS 

• 2001: Siliguri in West Bengal sees 66 cases; 45 of the infected persons die
• 2007: Nadia (West Bengal) witnesses five cases, all of them fail to survive
• 2018: Kozhikode, Malappuram (Kerala) see 17 deaths