A Nipah virus alert has been issued to the neighbouring districts of Kannur, Malappuram, and Wayanad and stop the spread of infection. Amid the outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala’s Kozhikode, the State government declared several wards in 9 village panchayats in the district as containment zones.
The Nipah virus alert has been issued to stop the spread of nipah virus infection. A health worker, 24 years old came into close contact with a Nipah-affected patient who tested positive on Wednesday and it resulted in a total number of positive cases to five in the state.
The state government has declared containment zones and restrictions to prevent the spread of nipah virus infection, and the contact list of the patients has become a primary reason to worry as 700 people have come into contact with the patients. Around 77 people are at high risk out of these 700 people, according to Kerala health minister Veena George.
Nipha Virus in India: Kerala is On High Alert
People who are at high risk are suggested to stay indoors. The routes of the 2 Nipah patients who passed away have been published to aware people not to take that route.
In Kozhikode, restriction on gathering of a large number of people has been imposed.
Across 9 panchayats in Vadakara of Kozhikode district, 58 wards have been announced as containment zones. Crucial services and only entry and exit are allowed in these zones. Shops selling crucial services will be allowed to work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In Kozhikode, a 9-year-old boy is struggling with this infection and the government has ordered monoclonal antibodies from ICMR to help the child get rid of this infection. Moreover, no evidence specifies that it works against Nipah, but this is the only available treatment option.
Nearly 700 people came into contact with the patients and out of 700 people, 76 people are at high-risk. According to the minister, they are all stable.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus that can be spread from the affected animals or contaminated food to humans. And then, it can spread from one affected person to another. Nipah virus symptoms include headache, fever, cough, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, and severe cases, it can turn into swelling of the brain.
How do you fight the Nipah virus?
You can prevent the Nipah virus by avoiding exposure to sick bats and pigs in areas with a virus and not drinking raw date palm sap that the affected bat might contaminate. Moreover, when it comes to Nipah virus treatment, it can be said that there is no specific treatment for this type of infection.
What are the first symptoms of the Nipah virus?
The symptoms of the Nipah virus may appear 4-14 days after exposure to the virus. Affected person may experience fever and headache as the initial illness and often includes respiratory illness symptoms such as sore throat, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Conclusion
The Nipah virus continuously spreading, so it is important to keep yourself away from affected patients. There is no specific treatment option available till now, hence, follow the safety precautions. Moreover, continue getting the latest updates on the Nipah virus by subscribing to Personal Care N Heal.
