The Nipah virus, a deadly pathogen that induces brain damage, spreads to humans when they come into direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats, pigs, or other individuals. It was first recognised in 1999 during an outbreak that impacted pig farmers and individuals in close proximity to pigs in Malaysia and Singapore.
In the wake of the Nipah outbreak in this north Kerala district, a holiday has been declared for all educational institutions here on Thursday and Friday.
Health experts in India s Kerala state are collecting samples from bats and fruit trees in an effort to contain the deadly Nipah virus, which has already claimed two lives and infected three more. This is the fourth outbreak of the virus in Kerala since 2018, and there is currently no vaccine available. The virus spreads through contact with infected bats, pigs, or humans and has a fatality rate of up to 75%.