The outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala’s Kozhikode has forced the State government to declare several wards in nine village panchayats in the district, where two people died, as containment zones.

An alert has also been issued to neighbouring districts of Malappuram, Kannur and Wayanad as well to prevent the spread of the infection. As many as 7 people are under treatment and the situation is very much under control, official sources said.

Health Minister Veena George told the Legislative Assembly that the Nipah virus strain was a Bangladesh variant that spreads from human to human and has a high mortality rate, but less infectious. A team from the National Institute of Virology, Pune, is expected to reach Kozhikode and set up a mobile lab at Kozhikode Medical College to conduct tests on the virus and a survey of the bats.

The Indian Council of Medical Research team also agreed to fly down the monoclonal antibodies that are required to treat Nipah patients, she said.

Rajeev Jayadevan, member Public Health Advisory Panel, IMA-Kerala said the State has seen four outbreak of Nipah virus so far and historically they have been self-contained as it was elsewhere. Once a person is infected symptomatically, the Nipah virus carries a very high mortality risk. But unlike Covid-19, its ability to spread in the community is limited. With contract tracing and quarantine, spread can be further minimised.

Knowledge gap

The main knowledge gap from a scientific standpoint is the mechanism by which the virus that is freely circulating amongst fruit bats, enters the human body. Even though it is often presumed to be due to consumption of half eaten fruit, this has not been conclusively proven and is likely to be wrong for several reasons, he said.

Looking forward, this knowledge gap needs to be addressed with greater diligence. For instance, the virus is present in various body fluids and in the excrement of the bat. Naturally, this material is dropped onto the ground and could come into contact with man. Alternatively there can be an intermediary agent. This could be an opportunity to crack the case for the benefit of the world at large, he added.  

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