Nipah virus claims 6 deaths in Kozhikode, Kerala

A rare virus called the Nipah virus was reported from Kozhikode in Kerala, where it has claimed 5 lives so far. Six deaths are suspected, and 25 other people have been hospitalized with symptoms of the infection, the BBC reported.

The Nipah virus infection is an new disease that was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Kerala to take WHO help to battle virus

The National Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) has declared a “third major outbreak” of Nipah virus in the country. Nipah virus can cause an inflammation of the brain known as encephalitis, according to the CDC. Symptoms can include fever and headache, followed by drowsiness, disorientation and confusion. People who are infected with the virus may fall into a coma within 48 hours of showing symptoms, the CDC says. The mortality ranges from 50-75%according to the WHO.

No known cure for Nipah virus

There’s no drug to treat the illness and no vaccine to prevent it. “We are now concentrating on precautions to prevent the spread of the disease since the treatment is limited to supportive care,” was the statement issued by Rajeev Sadanandan, Kerala’s health secretary.