Nipah Virus: "All Four Patients Tested Double Negative”, Says Veena George

Veena George, Health Minister of Kerala, said four people under the treatment for Nipah virus has recovered. She said “four people including a nine year old boy, who were under treatment in Kozhikode for Nipah virus have recovered and tested double negative (two samples tested in intervals)”.

Mrs. George updated about the Nipah virus in state while talking to ANI on September 29. Since no new case of Nipah was reported since September 16, the state government has called off the containment in all zones on September 27. People are asked to be on-guard and practice social-distancing and wearing mask and sanitizers despite the lift of the curtailment. Two of the six people infected with Nipah virus had died. The patient zero died on August 30.

Tracking down the patients” contact lists, isolation, mobile testing laboratories and anti-body treatments, the state fought hard to keep the situation under control. Total of 377 samples were tested and 915 were under observation.

According to Indian Council of Medical Research, the mortality rate of Nipah virus is 60 percentage which was far higher than that of Covid-19, which is 3 percentage. This is the fourth time Kerala has confronted Nipah Virus. The state was struck with Nipah in 2018.

As per the World Health Organization, Nipah virus is caused by fruit bats and can be fatal to humans and animals alike. It spread predominantly through body fluids. The first break out of Nipah is alleged to be identified from Malaysia and Singapore in 1999. The gap between infection and symptoms of the virus can extend from 14 to 45 days. Fever, headache, sore throats and vomiting is considered to be early symptoms. But a severe case can cause brain infection which is called encephalitis and that can be life threatening. No cure is found till date for the Nipah virus.