Kerala Health Minister Veena George has confirmed another case of the Nipah virus, bringing the total number of infections in the state to five. A 24-year-old health worker at a private hospital in Kozhikode has been diagnosed with the virus. Currently, 706 individuals are on the contact list, with 77 considered high-risk and 153 being health workers. No one in the high-risk category is showing symptoms at present.
Thirteen people are in the hospital under observation, displaying mild symptoms such as headaches. The government has advised high-risk contacts to remain in their homes.
The Kerala government has established 19 core committees to coordinate all measures, and volunteer teams have been formed by the local self-government to assist those in isolation.
The Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus transmitted from animals, such as bats or pigs, to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food or direct human-to-human transmission.
Symptoms of Nipah virus infection range from fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat to more severe conditions like dizziness, altered consciousness, neurological signs, and acute encephalitis. The incubation period varies from 4 to 14 days but can be as long as 45 days. The case fatality rate is estimated between 40% and 75%, depending on local capabilities for epidemiological surveillance and clinical management. Survivors may experience residual neurological consequences, such as seizure disorders and personality changes.
