Indian state battered by COVID now on alert for Nipah virus

The southern Indian state of Kerala is quickly ramping up efforts to stop a potential outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus.

सम्बन्धित सामग्री

One dead from Nipah virus in India’s Kerala; second death this year

Nipah has been linked to the deaths of dozens of people in Kerala since its first appearance in the state in 2018.

India alert after boy dies from Nipah virus in Kerala

DELHI: Health authorities in India’s Kerala state have issued an alert after a 14-year-old boy died of the Nipah virus. According to the state’s health minister, an additional 60 people have been identified as being in the high-risk category of having the disease. Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the boy was from the town […]

Nipah virus outbreak in India: 2 dead so far

Sep 14: India’s southern Kerala state has shut down schools and offices and declared containment zones in parts of the state amid the risk of an outbreak of the Nipah virus following the death of two people from the rare and deadly brain-damaging viral disease. More than 1

Langya: New virus infects 35 people in eastern China

AUG 10: The novel Langya henipavirus (LayV) was found in 35 patients in the Shandong and Henan provinces. Many had symptoms such as fever, fatigue and a cough. They are thought to have contracted the virus from animals. There is no evidence so far LayV can transmit among humans. Researchers detected the virus predominantly in shrews. The discovery was highlighted in a letter written by researchers from China, Singapore and Australia and published in the New England Journal of Medicine this month. One of the researchers, Wang Linfa from the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, told China's state-run Global Times that the cases of LayV found so far have not been fatal or very serious, so there is "no need to panic". However, Mr Wang said, there is still a need to be alert as many viruses that exist in nature have unpredictable results when they infect humans. The scientists said LayV was found in 27% of shrews tested, suggesting the mole-like mammals may be "natural reservoirs" for the virus. About 5% of dogs and 2% of goats also tested positive for it. Taiwan's Center for Disease Control said on Sunday it was paying "close attention" to the development of LayV. LayV is a type of henipavirus, a category of zoonotic viruses which can jump from animals to humans. Zoonotic viruses are very common but have attracted more attention since the start of the Covid pandemic. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention said scientists estimate that three out of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals. The United Nations had previously warned the world will see more of such diseases with increased exploitation of wildlife and climate change. Some zoonotic viruses can be potentially fatal to humans. These include the Nipah virus which has periodic outbreaks among animals and humans in Asia, and the Hendra virus which was first detected in horses in Australia. Other related henipaviruses have also been found in shrews, as well as bats and rodents.

India's Karnataka state on alert amid Nipah virus, COVID-19 scare

Amid reports of Nipah virus and COVID-19 cases in neighbouring Kerala, the Deputy Commissioner of Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district issued an advisory on Wednesday to prevent the spread of viruses in the district.

India's Kerala state reports Nipah virus death

A 12-year-old boy died of Nipah virus in India's southern state of Kerala on Sunday, a federal health ministry official confirmed.