Five other people who developed primary symptoms of Nipah infection had blood samples taken and sent for testing, he said, without saying whether they were primary contacts of the deceased.
A 24-year-old student has died from the Nipah virus in the southern Indian state of Kerala, a local medical official said on Monday, and 151 people who came into contact with the victim are under observation to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
This is the second death caused by Nipah in Kerala since July. The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its potential to trigger an epidemic. There is no vaccine to prevent infection and no treatment to cure it.
According to a Reuters investigation last year, parts of Kerala are among the most vulnerable to outbreaks of the virus globally. The Nipah virus, which comes from fruit bats and other animals such as pigs, can cause a lethal fever that inflames the brain in humans.
The student began showing symptoms of fever on Sept. 4 and died five days later, said R. Renuka, a district medical officer in the northern Kerala town of Malappuram.
A blood sample of the victim sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune confirmed Nipah infection on September 9, Renuka said.
Five other people who developed primary symptoms of Nipah infection had blood samples taken and sent for testing, he said, without saying whether they were primary contacts of the deceased.
Nearly 151 people are being monitored for any symptoms after they were found to be in the primary contact list of the victim, who had come from Bengaluru, he said.
This is the second death due to Nipah infection in Malappuram this year after a 14-year-old boy succumbed in July.
Nipah has been linked to the deaths of dozens of people in Kerala since its first appearance in the state in 2018.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First published: September 16, 2024 | 10:48 am IS
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