After two people died due to unnatural deaths in Keralas Kozhikode were suspected to have been infected with the Nipah virus (NiV), the state health department sounded a health alert. According to state health minister Veena Goerge, the relatives of one of the deceased are also admitted to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit), reported by news agency PTI.The two deceased were admitted to a private hospital in the district, according to the media reports.Here are all things to know about Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala:The first Nipah virus outbreak in south India was reported from two districts, Kozhikode and Malappuram, in 2018. Then, in 2021, the state witnessed a massive outbreak of this virus.As per the WHO (World Health Organisation), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted via animals to humans, and can also be transmitted via contaminated food or directly between people and is caused by fruit bats.The virus is not only fatal for humans but for animals as well. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers, the WHO said.There are only a few outbreaks reported in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people, said the World Health Organisation.The affected people might suffer problems like acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The symptoms of the Nipah virus are similar to COVID-19 – cough, sore throat, dizziness, drowsiness, muscle pain, tiredness, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, mental confusion, and seizures.While there is no definitive treatment available for the virus, one can take precautions such as avoiding eating fruits that have fallen on the ground, avoiding feeding pigs, and keeping fruit bats away.
