Nipah outbreak: ‘Driving away bats is not the answer’
1 year, 1 month ago

Nipah outbreak: ‘Driving away bats is not the answer’

The Hindu  

Published : Nov 16, 2023 00:00 IST - 6 MINS READ In September, two Nipah deaths were reported in Kerala. Excerpts from an interview: What explains the sudden, recent emergence of Nipah in Kerala when bat species that carry the virus have been living in proximity to human settlements for hundreds of thousands of years? Nipah outbreak in Kerala: Key facts In mid-September 2023, Kozhikode in Kerala reported six laboratory-confirmed cases of Nipah virus infection, including two deaths. This is the third Nipah virus outbreak in Kozhikode and the fourth in Kerala since 2018 and the sixth outbreak in India. The Nipah outbreak seems to have amplified the fear around bats, with reports of bat habitats being disturbed intentionally.

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History of this topic

Despite repeated Nipah outbreaks, Kerala yet to look into bat biology
3 months ago

Despite repeated Nipah outbreaks, Kerala yet to look into bat biology

New Indian Express  

“Till the source is traced the Nipah virus infections will recur,” head of the Wildlife Biology Department at KFRI Balakrishnan Peroth told TNIE. “KFRI has all the expertise, human resources and infrastructure to carry out a scientific study on the biology of bats. Though KFRI has researchers and students who deal with bats, the state government has yet to approach …

Nipah outbreaks still a puzzle; crucial man-animal link missing
3 months, 1 week ago

Nipah outbreaks still a puzzle; crucial man-animal link missing

New Indian Express  

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the state grapples with its sixth Nipah virus outbreak, and the second one this year, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding effective prevention methods. While the health department’s efforts to contain Nipah were seen as a success, the World Health Organisation pointed out that there was a missed opportunity to collect timely and accurate data …

Suspected Mpox Infection Reported from Malappuram in Kerala, Samples Sent for Testing
3 months, 1 week ago

Suspected Mpox Infection Reported from Malappuram in Kerala, Samples Sent for Testing

News 18  

A suspected case of monkeypox infection has been reported from Malappuram district of Kerala after a man who recently returned from abroad showed symptoms of the disease. A new case of monkeypox was reported last week from the national capital after a 26-year-old resident of Haryana’s Hisar tested positive for the virus and was admitted to Delhi government-run LNJP Hospital. …

Kerala government publishes ‘route map’ of Nipah victim, 104 contacts are ‘high-risk’
3 months, 1 week ago

Kerala government publishes ‘route map’ of Nipah victim, 104 contacts are ‘high-risk’

Hindustan Times  

The Kerala government mandated face masks in Malappuram district, declared five wards in two panchayats as containment zones, and compiled a contact list of 175 people following a recent Nipah virus fatality on Monday. Partial restrictions have been implemented across Malappuram district, with authorities advising reduced attendance at private functions The state health department on Sunday confirmed that samples from …

Nipah virus outbreak: 175 people in contact list, says Kerala health minister
3 months, 1 week ago

Nipah virus outbreak: 175 people in contact list, says Kerala health minister

Hindustan Times  

Kerala health minister Veena George stated that 175 people in Malappuram district have been included in the contact list related to the Nipah virus outbreak, reported news agency ANI. The state, which has dealt with several Nipah virus outbreaks since 2018, recorded its first death due to the virus on July 21, 2024. This has been the second death this …

Nipah virus confirmed kills 24-year-old man in Kerala
3 months, 1 week ago

Nipah virus confirmed kills 24-year-old man in Kerala

The Hindu  

Health authorities in Kerala confirmed the Nipah virus as the reason for the death of a 24-year-old man from Wandoor in Malappuram district. Nipah virus was suspected in the medical officer’s death investigation after the victim had displayed signs of encephalitis. District Medical Officer R. Renuka sent the serum samples to the virology laboratory at Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode. …

Kerala contains Nipah outbreak: 472 people cleared, restrictions lifted
4 months ago

Kerala contains Nipah outbreak: 472 people cleared, restrictions lifted

New Indian Express  

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Health Department on Wednesday announced that the Nipah outbreak in Malappuram district has been successfully contained. In a statement, it said that the restrictions imposed in the area where the outbreak was reported have been completely lifted after the completion of the 42-day double incubation period. The presence of the Nipah virus was detected in bat samples …

Fruit bats suspected source of Nipah in 14-year-old from Kerala
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Fruit bats suspected source of Nipah in 14-year-old from Kerala

New Indian Express  

MALAPPURAM: The test results from the National Institute of Virology and the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases point out that fruit bats could likely be the source of Nipah infection in the 14-year-old boy who died of the disease in Pandikkad, Malappuram. Following the confirmation of Nipah infection in Pandikkad, a team of experts from the State Institute …

Nipah in Kerala: Karnataka issues travel advisory
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Nipah in Kerala: Karnataka issues travel advisory

The Hindu  

Following a Nipah death reported in the Malappuram district of Kerala on July 21, Karnataka’s Health Department has issued a travel advisory asking people to avoid travel to the affected areas of Kerala unless it is essential. “Karnataka has been taking all necessary actions to check the cross-border transmission of infection from Kerala whenever an outbreak is reported. But as …

Nipah virus: A recurring, deadly threat in India
5 months ago

Nipah virus: A recurring, deadly threat in India

Hindustan Times  

Health authorities in India face outbreaks of Nipah virus almost every other year. After a 14-year-old boy died of Nipah virus Sunday, July 21, 2024, in the southern Indian state of Kerala, authorities tried to stop a new outbreak — just a year after the last outbreak in 2023. Nipah virus is commonly found in fruit bats, which feed on …

Why the inability to identify the Nipah virus sources is a concern in Kerala
5 months ago

Why the inability to identify the Nipah virus sources is a concern in Kerala

Hindustan Times  

Kerala is on high alert after a 14-year-old boy in the Malappuram district was diagnosed with Nipah virus infection on Sunday. While initiating preventive protocols and steps to contain the virus in the reported area itself, health department officials are said to have zeroed in on a potential cause for the re-emergence of the Nipah virus. Some local doctors cite …

Nipah transmission a puzzle despite fifth outbreak in Kerala
5 months ago

Nipah transmission a puzzle despite fifth outbreak in Kerala

New Indian Express  

“When Nipah was first reported in Malaysia in 1998, it was pointed out that bats that were affected by El Nino came up to urban dwellings in large number. All of them are males in the age of 12 to 25, who are active and adventurous,” said Dr Althaf A, a public health expert and professor at Government Medical College …

Nipah outbreak: 6 from other Kerala districts on teen victim's contact list
5 months ago

Nipah outbreak: 6 from other Kerala districts on teen victim's contact list

India Today  

Kerala health officials are scrambling to contain a Nipah virus outbreak after it emerged that six individuals from outside the initial affected district were in contact with a 14-year-old boy who died after testing positive for the virus. Test results are awaited from 13 close contacts of the victim, a resident of Malappuram, Health Minister Veena George said on Monday. …

Centre advises 4 immediate measures after Kerala boy infected with Nipah virus dies
5 months ago

Centre advises 4 immediate measures after Kerala boy infected with Nipah virus dies

Hindustan Times  

A 14-year-old boy from Mallapuram district of Kerala succumbed to the Nipah virus, triggering an urgent public health response from the Centre. The Union health ministry has advised the Kerala government to implement four immediate public health measures, including active case search and contact tracing. To support the state government in managing the outbreak, a multi-member joint outbreak response team …

Nipah death again in Kerala, 14-year-old boy under treatment dies at Kozhikode MCH
5 months ago

Nipah death again in Kerala, 14-year-old boy under treatment dies at Kozhikode MCH

The Hindu  

The Nipah virus claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy from Kerala’s Malappuram district on July 21. Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that the teenager died at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, while under intense medical care. Also Raed | Centre to deploy team to support Kerala in probing Nipah virus case The Pune-based National Institute of Virology …

Kerala: 14-year-old dies of Nipah virus in Kozhikode
5 months ago

Kerala: 14-year-old dies of Nipah virus in Kozhikode

Hindustan Times  

A 14-year-old boy, who was being treated for the Nipah virus, in Kerala's Kozhikode died on Sunday, PTI reported, citing the state government. Health workers shifted people who have been in contact with a person infected with the Nipah virus to an isolation centre at a government hospital in Kozhikode in September 2023. Kerala health minister Veena George said the …

Centre to deploy team to support Kerala in probing Nipah virus case
5 months ago

Centre to deploy team to support Kerala in probing Nipah virus case

New Indian Express  

NEW DELHI: The government will deploy a multi-member joint outbreak response team to support Kerala in investigating a Nipah virus case detected in its Mallapuram district, identifying epidemiological linkages and providing technical assistance. In a statement on Sunday, the Union health ministry said a 14-year-old boy from the district exhibited the acute encephalitis syndrome and was admitted to a healthcare …

Nipah outbreak in Kerala? All you need to know as govt confirms infection in 14-year-old boy
5 months ago

Nipah outbreak in Kerala? All you need to know as govt confirms infection in 14-year-old boy

Live Mint  

Kerala remains braced for a Nipah outbreak after a 14-year-old boy tested positive in Malappuram district. The southern state has seen numerous Nipah outbreaks in recent years — including an outbreak in August 2023 that claimed two lives and affected four other people. India had procured monoclonal antibodies from Australia last year in the midst of another Nipah outbreak. The …

Suspected Nipah virus case spreads scare in Kerala’s Malappuram
5 months ago

Suspected Nipah virus case spreads scare in Kerala’s Malappuram

The Hindu  

A Nipah virus scare spread in Malappuram district of Kerala on July 20 following a suspected case reported by the health authorities. Emergency meeting An emergency meeting convened by Health Minister Veena George on July 20 morning put the health and other government departments on increased alert. Top officials of the State Health department, including Additional Chief Secretary, National Health …

Oxford scientists launch first human vaccine trials for deadly Nipah virus
11 months, 1 week ago

Oxford scientists launch first human vaccine trials for deadly Nipah virus

The Hindu  

Scientists at the University of Oxford in the U.K. have launched first-in-human vaccine trials for the deadly Nipah virus which impacts many Asian countries, including India. "Nipah virus was first identified in 1998, and yet 25 years on the global health community still has no approved vaccines or treatments for this devastating disease," said the trial's Principal Investigator, Brian Angus, …

Kerala govt cites ICMR report, says possibility of Nipah virus presence in bats in Wayanad
1 year, 1 month ago

Kerala govt cites ICMR report, says possibility of Nipah virus presence in bats in Wayanad

Hindustan Times  

Citing an ICMR report, the Kerala government on Wednesday said that there was a possibility of Nipah virus presence in bats in Wayanad district of the state. State Health Minister Veena George said that the Indian Council of Medical Research gave this information based on its studies of the bat samples collected by it. The minister said that it does …

Nipah infection possible in more places in Southeast Asia, says Nature article
1 year, 2 months ago

Nipah infection possible in more places in Southeast Asia, says Nature article

The Hindu  

Many places in Southeast Asia, such as Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, southern China, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and some Indian States, have Nipah virus reservoirs and could experience cross-species transmission to humans, says an article published in the recent issue of Nature journal. It is highly probable that many places in Southeast Asia have Nipah virus reservoirs and could experience spillovers. …

No new cases of Nipah virus detected in India since September: WHO
1 year, 2 months ago

No new cases of Nipah virus detected in India since September: WHO

Hindustan Times  

The World Health Organization on Tuesday said that no new cases of the brain-damaging Nipah virus were detected in India since September 15, after an outbreak in early September led to two deaths. The Kozhikode district administration lifts restrictions after no fresh cases of Nipah virus were reported in Kerala. Between September 12 and 15, the Union health ministry reported …

No new Nipah virus cases in India since September 15, says WHO
1 year, 2 months ago

No new Nipah virus cases in India since September 15, says WHO

Live Mint  

The World Health Organization on Tuesday said that no new cases of Nipah virus have been detected in India since September 15. From September 12 to 15, India's health ministry reported six laboratory-confirmed Nipah virus cases, including two deaths, in Kozhikode district in the southern state of Kerala. Since September 12, 387 samples have been tested, of which six cases …

WHO says no new cases of Nipah virus detected since Sept 15
1 year, 2 months ago

WHO says no new cases of Nipah virus detected since Sept 15

Firstpost  

In its sixth outbreak in the country since 2001 this year, the virus, known for its 70% mortality rate, has claimed two lives out of the six who were infected in a span of few days in September, sending the Kerala government scrambling to contain the spread No fresh cases of the deadly Nipah virus have been detected since September …

Nipah virus scare recedes again in Kerala as four cured patients go home
1 year, 2 months ago

Nipah virus scare recedes again in Kerala as four cured patients go home

The Hindu  

Scripting a memorable moment for all who staged a daring fight against Nipah outbreak, four patients including a nine-year old boy who was in a very critical condition till very recently have been tested double-negative for the infection. The medical team comprising doctors and nurses who cared for two critically-infected patients at the Malabar Institute of Medical Science, Kozhikode said …

Nipah virus in Kerala: 4 people including minor recover from infection
1 year, 2 months ago

Nipah virus in Kerala: 4 people including minor recover from infection

Live Mint  

Nipah virus update: Kerala Health Minister Veena George has shared an update on Nipah virus update in the state. The state Health Minister Veena George said that four people, including a nine-year-old boy, who were under treatment for Nipah in Kozhikode have recovered. While speaking to news agency ANI, she shared the good news and said, “"Four people including a …

Nipah virus scare abates as all 4 patients recover in Kerala
1 year, 2 months ago

Nipah virus scare abates as all 4 patients recover in Kerala

India Today  

All four patients who tested positive for Nipah virus in Kerala this year have recovered and been discharged from the hospital, health officials said on Friday. Four of these people tested positive for the virus, and they were all admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode. The Kerala government took a number of steps to contain the latest …

Lessons from Nipah outbreak in Kerala
1 year, 2 months ago

Lessons from Nipah outbreak in Kerala

Hindustan Times  

The Nipah Virus infection reported from Kozhikode, Kerala, coming in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, has attracted worldwide attention. The World Organisation for Animal Health observed that human cases have occurred sporadically in Bangladesh and India since 2003 without apparent related domestic animal disease outbreaks, suggesting possible human-to-human transmission. Covid-19 prompted the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory …

Nipah May Disappear Again But India Can Take a Leaf Out of Bangladesh's Book - News18
1 year, 2 months ago

Nipah May Disappear Again But India Can Take a Leaf Out of Bangladesh's Book - News18

News 18  

This month, Kerala once again sounded the alarm with two Nipah-related deaths. In 2021, the third outbreak of Nipah took place in the month of September followed by the latest outbreak, again in September — defying the trend of the first two years in mango season. They produce echolocation which is a sound system that bats make to find the …

Nipah virus can cause severe infection in kids; expert suggests precautionary measures
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah virus can cause severe infection in kids; expert suggests precautionary measures

Hindustan Times  

Life is resuming back to normal and restrictions are easing in Kerala as Nipah virus cases decline in the state. Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus and can spread from animals to humans as well as humans to humans. "Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus that may transmit from animals to humans. People contracting this virus may undergo severe conditions …

Nipah Virus: Restrictions Eased in Kerala As No New Cases Found in Last One Week
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah Virus: Restrictions Eased in Kerala As No New Cases Found in Last One Week

News 18  

The district authorities in Kerala’s Kozhikode on Friday lifted the containment zone restrictions from all the wards of the nine panchayats in Vadakara Taluk and relaxed other curbs in the remaining zones after no new Nipah cases were reported in the state since September 16. The District Collector’s order said that all shops within the containment zones can operate till …

The anatomy of an outbreak — Breaking down Nipah
1 year, 3 months ago

The anatomy of an outbreak — Breaking down Nipah

The Hindu  

This week, the subject picked itself. The last week has been a frenzy that characterises every outbreak, as initial reports of two people dying of Nipah Virus came in, along with two other contacts of one victim also testing positive. With its multiple modes of transmission, including a propensity to spread as a nosocomial infection among healthcare workers, despite its …

Nipah virus strains prevalent in Kerala find roots in Malaysia and Bangladesh
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah virus strains prevalent in Kerala find roots in Malaysia and Bangladesh

Live Mint  

Nepah Virus strain behind the high risk of outbreak in Kerala finds its root from Bangladesh and Malaysia. The state is among nine Indian states where there his high probability of Niph occurrence, Kerala Health Minister Veena George told ANI on Monday. No new cases of Nipah virus were reported in the state, Health Minister Veena George told ANI on …

No New Positive Case of Nipah; 61 Negative Results: Kerala Govt
1 year, 3 months ago

No New Positive Case of Nipah; 61 Negative Results: Kerala Govt

News 18  

No new Nipah positive cases were reported in the state since September 16 with 61 more samples of persons who were in the high risk contact list turning up negative for the virus, Kerala government said on Monday. State Health Minister Veena George told reporters that results of the genomic sequencing, to confirm there was no second wave of the …

Nipah virus outbreak: Watch out for these 3 risk factors
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah virus outbreak: Watch out for these 3 risk factors

Hindustan Times  

For the third time in five years, the brain-damaging Nipah virus has surfaced again in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, leading the state health department to declare a health alert after two “unnatural” deaths were reported, followed by four high-risk contact cases with a 9-year-old on ventilator support. Nipah virus outbreak: Watch out for these 3 risk factors In an …

Nipah: ‘This Was Key Info on Outbreak…’ Kerala Health Minister on First Death, Protocols
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah: ‘This Was Key Info on Outbreak…’ Kerala Health Minister on First Death, Protocols

News 18  

Kerala health minister Veena George, who has been camping in Kozhikode where the latest cases of Nipah virus have been reported, says her department has aggressively begun contact tracing and creating containment zones to control the outbreak. George said while there have been no new Nipah cases reported, her department has achieved a major milestone as it has managed to …

Why and how Nipah virus spread in Kerala? What experts said
1 year, 3 months ago

Why and how Nipah virus spread in Kerala? What experts said

Hindustan Times  

In the fourth outbreak of Nipah in Kerala since 2018, a total of six cases have been reported this year putting the state almost under a siege with Covid-like containment zones being put in place. "The first outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala was in May 2018.The most important thing is that we still don't know how the primary case …

Deadly outbreak | Nipah virus
1 year, 3 months ago

Deadly outbreak | Nipah virus

The Hindu  

The Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala in 2018 was, in retrospect, the first true outbreak people had witnessed in living memory. For a population fed, on screen, with pacy narratives, dizzying tales of disease, horror and death, the 2018 Nipah virus outbreak was a horrifying reel-to-real conversion. It was when NiV hit Kozhikode district, in Kerala, in 2018, where 21 …

Nipah virus: Health department tightens restrictions in Kerala
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah virus: Health department tightens restrictions in Kerala

Hindustan Times  

The Kerala health department on Saturday tightened restrictions in Kozhikode district in the wake of the sixth case of Nipah virus being reported the previous day, officials familiar with the matter said. No fresh infections were reported on Saturday, as 11 more samples of ‘high-risk’ contacts sent for testing turned out to be “negative.” Health workers wearing protective gears shift …

Rare, deadly Nipah virus in Kerala: What are the symptoms?
1 year, 3 months ago

Rare, deadly Nipah virus in Kerala: What are the symptoms?

The Hindu  

Published : Sep 16, 2023 21:46 IST - 4 MINS READ The deadly Nipah virus has broken out again in Kerala. To contain a new outbreak of the dangerous Nipah virus, thousands of offices and schools have been closed in Kerala. Kerala Health Minister Veena George confirmed another case of the Nipah virus on Wednesday, bringing the total number of …

Why Nipah virus outbreaks are occurring only in Kerala
1 year, 3 months ago

Why Nipah virus outbreaks are occurring only in Kerala

The Hindu  

Since May 2018 when Kerala reported the first Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode district, there have been three more outbreaks of Nipah virus including the latest one in late-August 2023. “Whenever we have undiagnosed fever cases, a team involving virologists is formed and we undertake a detailed investigation which helps us diagnose Nipah virus and other new virus outbreaks early. In …

Nipah Virus In India Kerala Health Minister Veena George Virus Origin Kozhikode Monoclonal Antibody Doses Nipah Virus Kerala
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah Virus In India Kerala Health Minister Veena George Virus Origin Kozhikode Monoclonal Antibody Doses Nipah Virus Kerala

ABP News  

After successfully identifying the index case of the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala, the state government has initiated efforts to trace the source of infection. Authorities are seeking information about the individual's mobile tower locations to pinpoint the place where he contracted the virus, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Saturday. The second fatality due to Nipah occurred on …

Rare, deadly Nipah virus: What are the symptoms?
1 year, 3 months ago

Rare, deadly Nipah virus: What are the symptoms?

Hindustan Times  

Authorities in the southern Indian state of Kerala are working to contain a new outbreak of the Nipah virus. To contain a new outbreak of the dangerous Nipah virus, thousands of offices and schools have been closed in Kerala. Kerala Health Minister Veena George confirmed another case of the Nipah virus on Wednesday, bringing the total number of infections in …

Nipah has around 70% mortality rate, Covid had 3%: ICMR
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah has around 70% mortality rate, Covid had 3%: ICMR

Live Mint  

The mortality rate of the Nipah virus is much higher than Covid-19 viral disease, said ICMR DG Dr Rajeev Bahl on Friday. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, the mortality rate of Nipah is around 60% as compared to that of Covid which was nearly 3% in the country. Rajeev Bahl emphasized that all the current cases of …

What is Nipah virus? Check symptoms, treatment options
1 year, 3 months ago

What is Nipah virus? Check symptoms, treatment options

Live Mint  

Educational facilities in Kerala’s Kozhikode district will be closed until September 24 due to the outbreak of the Nipah virus, according to the district administration. The Nipah virus can cause symptoms ranging from mild respiratory issues to fatal encephalitis, the World Health Organisation states. Nipah virus symptoms For those infected, initial symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore …

How Kerala detected Nipah virus cases early this time and acted
1 year, 3 months ago

How Kerala detected Nipah virus cases early this time and acted

India Today  

When it struck in 2018, Nipah was a new disease for Kerala. Dr A.S. Anoop Kumar, director of Aster MIMS Hospital in Kozhikode, who identified the first cluster of Nipah patients in the district this time, told INDIA TODAY that it was his experience of handling the first outbreak back in 2018 that helped spot the symptoms early in people. …

Nipah virus: Kerala shuts schools, Australian antibodies sought
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah virus: Kerala shuts schools, Australian antibodies sought

India Today  

With Kerala’s Kozhikode reporting another confirmed case of Nipah virus on Friday, the state government declared holidays for educational institutions in the district till September 24. On Friday, one more case of Nipah virus infection was confirmed in Kerala's Kozhikode district after the sample of a 39-year-old man turned positive, taking the total number of cases to six. A 39-year-old …

Nipah virus puts Kerala under siege again with fourth outbreak
1 year, 3 months ago

Nipah virus puts Kerala under siege again with fourth outbreak

The Hindu  

A sense of dread is growing in Kuttiadi, a town located on the slopes of the Western Ghats in Kozhikode district of Kerala. Editorial | Unified approach: On the Nipah outbreak in Kerala and a One Health approach Then, on September 11, alarm bells rang when M. Haris, 40, of Mangalad in the Ayancheri gram panchayat near Vadakara, died at …

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