Nipah Virus

Kerala has issued an alert in Kozhikode district of the state following the deaths due to Nipah virus.

Nipah virus-

• According to WHO- Nipah virus is a rapidly emerging zoonotic virus.
• Bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural hosts of Nipah virus.
• Closely related to Hendra virus.
• Also spread through contaminated food or directly from one person to another.
• Its first case was detected in 1998 from Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia.
• Symptoms- fever, vomiting, sore throat, headache, mental confusion, coma etc.