Union minister JP Nadda has directed officials to take necessary steps for Nipah virus in Kerala
A central team will visit Kerala to take stock of the situation after three people died of Nipah virus. Union Minister J P Nadda directed the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) chief to visit Kozhikode, to assist the state government after the deaths were reported. "I have told the Director of NCDC to visit the district and initiate required steps as warranted by the protocol for the disease in consultation with state government," Mr Nadda said in a tweet. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus often shows no marked symptoms but affects the respiratory system at a later stage. The state government has opened a control room to report fever at the district medical office.
Nipah virus causes a rare brain fever that spreads from fruit bats to livestock as well as humans.
High fever, terrible headache and breathing trouble are some of the known symptoms of the disease, which has a high fatality rate.
It is in the 2018 WHO list of viruses that could potentially pose a huge health scare. There is no vaccination available for Nipah as of now.
The virus was first identified among pigs in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998
Last known outbreak in the subcontinent was in 2004 in Bangladesh.
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