After 17-year old boy dies, Nipah Virus alert in Kerala, India

A 14-year-old boy in Kerala, India, died from the Nipah virus, prompting health alerts. Authorities identified 60 high-risk contacts and implemented precautionary measures. The zoonotic disease, transmitted from animals to humans, poses a significant epidemic threat in the region.

The health authorities in Kerala, India have raised an alarm over the deadly Nipah virus that claims the life of a 14 year old boy. It has led to anxieties regarding the possibility of an epidemic of this very disease, though it is relatively rare.

The four-year old boy from Pandikkad town died from the virus on Sunday only after the doctors confirmed the disease. Kerala Health Minister Veena George reacted to the news by stating that 60 people who interacted with the deceased have been flagged as high-risk contacts and quarantined for testing.

In response, members of the community have been advised to adopt preventative measures such as the use of face masks in public places and restricting visits to the hospital. Categorized under the zoonotic diseases by the World Health Organization, Nipah virus is transmitted from animals like fruit bats and pigs to human beings. Food poisoning is another common method of transmission and the spread through physical touch with affected individuals.

Nipah virus has been recognized as one of the priority pathogens of WHO because it can cause outbreaks. Kerala has suffered a series of an outbreak since the year 2018, and cases that have claimed the lives of dozens of people.

Kerala’s conditions are said by experts to have been caused by special environmental circumstances. The state has a tropical climate which increases the chances of the virus appearing and there has been an increase in the rate of urbanization, and many trees have been felled. The increased urbanization of human populations has an impact on the geographic distribution of animals and a thus alters the potential of zoonotic diseases.

However, there are recent reports of ongoing Nipah virus infection in the same region, and in a recent development, the Kerala government has declared plans to evolve a strategy to prevent recurrence of the Nipah virus. This is in the same wake as the incident that was experienced in the past one year when schools and offices closed following confirmation of five Nipah cases.

Also Read: Zika Virus Resurfaces in India: Six Cases Reported in Pune

While health officials scramble to manage this particular outbreak, the case is a good reminder of the constant threats that new pathogen threats present in conditions of rapid and dynamic change.