VIJAYAWADA: The State Health Department is on high alert in the wake of deaths due to the ‘Nipah’ virus (NiV) outbreak in Kerala.The State government has instructed all the district medical and health officers to strengthen the rapid response teams (RRTs) under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and take preventive measures.
According to the officials, there are no suspect cases of Nipah in the State. However, the Health Department has issued circulars to all the district headquarters and alerted the medical staff on the virus. Speaking to Express, Additional Director of Health Geetha Prasadini said, “We have received an alert on Nipah from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). We have alerted all the State and district officials to take certain preventive measures.
In all districts, an isolation ward will be made ready for treating suspected cases. Similarly, we informed the private hospitals to inform the district authorities if any suspected case is noticed.”Krishna District Collector B Lakshmikantham said, “People should refrain from eating fruits having bite marks as the virus will be transmitted into humans if the fruit is bitten by a bat. We are also making all the necessary arrangements in all the government hospitals in the district.”
The Health Department officials are also taking the assistance of the National Institute of Virology, Pune, to take preventive measures against the virus. All the tests for the presence of virus will be taking place in NIV, Pune.
Symptoms of Nipah
Fever, altered mental status, severe weakness, headache, respiratory distress, cough, vomiting,
muscle pain, convulsion and diarrhoea
In infected persons, Nipah virus causes severe illness characterised by inflammation of the brain
(encephalitis) or respiratory diseases
The outbreaks occur during the months of winter to spring (December-May)
Person-to person transmission may occur from close physical contact, especially by contact with body fluids
Human Nipah virus (NiV) infection is an emerging zoonotic disease which was first recognised in a large outbreak of 276 reported cases in Malaysia and Singapore from September 1998 to May 1999
During 2001 and 2007 two Nipah virus outbreaks were reported from West Bengal and Bangladesh