• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Health
  4. Indian Authorities Flounder to Contain Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak
Health

Indian Authorities Flounder to Contain Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak

  • By Al Mayadeen
  • Source: Agencies
  • 7 Sep 2021 12:15

Authorities in Indian Kerala State are attempting to contain a Nipah virus outbreak, which is far more deadly than the coronavirus.

  • People wearing protective suits, carrying the body of the 12-year old boy who died of the virus
    People wearing protective suits, carrying the body of the 12-year old boy who died of the virus

Kerala State, south of India, which is already battered by the coronavirus outbreak and has the country's highest number of cases, now also has to deal with a potential Nipah virus outbreak.

Health officials have begun to isolate hundreds of people who came into contact with a 12-year-old boy who died from the virus, with new infections being confirmed. The virus is far more deadly than the coronavirus.

The boy was admitted to the hospital a week before his death on account of a fever. Lab tests confirmed a Nipah infection, prompting authorities to begin serious contact tracing efforts to identify all who came into contact with the boy, which amounts to 188 people, according to Kerala State's Health Minister, Veena George. 20 from among them were high-risk contacts and were placed under strict quarantine.

The Nipah virus was first identified during an outbreak in the late 1990s and can be spread by fruit bats, pigs, and human-human contact. It has no vaccine, has serious symptoms such as fevers and convulsions, and has no treatment but supportive care to control complications. The virus has a 40-75% fatality rate according to the WHO.

The state had dealt with the Nipah virus in 2018, having killed 17 of the 18 people who contracted it back then. The infection was traced at the time to a fruit bat who died in the infected family's well.

  • India
  • kerala
  • Nipah virus

Trending Now

All
The Beta variant and its main mutations

The Omicron Variant and the future of the pandemic

The tomato flu outbreak is sparking concerns all over India

'Tomato flu' outbreak causes panic due to monkeypox-like symptoms

Most Read

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

US dollar may lose status as global reserve currency: Yellen

  • US & Canada
  • 22 Mar
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference on 25, February, 2022. (AFP)

Kiev unable to launch counteroffensive: Zelensky

  • Europe
  • 25 Mar
Europe's move has only increased Putin’s esteem outside the West -- but estimation of Europe’s political nous and understanding of Russia, however, is sharply diminished.

Lawfare Comes into Fashion: The New Geo-political ‘Rack’

  • Analysis
  • 25 Mar
Crewmen enter Bradley fighting vehicles at a US military base at an undisclosed location in Northeastern Syria, on November 11, 2019 (AP)

US occupation bases under fire in Syria for second day in a row

  • MENA
  • 24 Mar

Read this

All
Mounted police disperse anti-government protesters in 'Tel Aviv', occupied Palestine, March 27, 2023 (AP)
US & Canada

IOF separating protesters, Netanyahu supporters to curb clashes

  • Today
File photo of United Nations Security Council meeting. (AFP)
Europe

UNSC fails to adopt Russian draft calling for Nord Stream probe

  • Today
.
Palestine

Report shows settlers' trust in Israeli institutions hits record low

  • 27 Mar
Ukrainian soldiers ride atop a British-supplied APC on the frontline in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Sunday, March 26, 2023 (AP Photo/Libkos)
Europe

Biden to escalate in Ukraine: NYT

  • Today
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS