Authorities in Kerala are scrambling to contain a rare outbreak of Nipah, a virus spread from animals to humans that causes deadly fever with a high mortality rate.
As the number of Nipah virus cases rose to six in Kerala’s Kozhikode, the state government declared holidays for educational institutes in the district till September 24. Here's what we know about the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala so far.
The mortality rate among those infected with the Nipah virus is much higher compared to those infected with Covid, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) chief Dr Rajiv Bahl said on Friday.
Amid the massive outbreak of deadly Nipah virus in Kerala, all educational institutions in the Kozhikode district will be closed through September 24. TheHealthSite.com
Nipah Virus in Kerala: Laboratory tests at NIV, Pune have confirmed that the presumed index case of the current Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode 47-year-old Mohammedali who died on August 30 had succumbed to Nipah infection. The laboratory confirmation came after a throat swab specimen obtained from the hospital where he had sought treatment tested positive on Friday. He was not diagnosed with Nipah during his treat ment at the hospital where he died, and he was presumed to be the index case after his two family members tested positive. One more person, a 39-year-old resident of Cheruvannur in Kozhikode corporation limits, tested positive on Friday, taking the number of active cases to four. Stay with TOI for all the latest updates