Nipah Scare: School,colleges shut in Kozhikode till Sep 24, anti-body vaccines sought from Australia

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

Kozhikode, Sep 16, 2023: Another person on Friday tested positive for the Nipah Virus in Kerala’s Kozhikode. This took the number of infected persons in the state to six, of which four are active cases and the rest two had passed away earlier.

 

The virus gripped the coastal state of Kerala for the fourth time and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) informed that it has sought 20 more doses of the antibody vaccine from Australia. It has also said that the mortality among the infected is very high in the virus (between 40 and 70 per cent) compared to the mortality in Covid, which was 2-3 per cent.

All Educational Institutes Shut in Kozhikode till Sept 24

The state government has announced that all the educational institutes in Kerala’s Kozhikode will remain closed till September 24. The closure — ordered in view of the Nipah outbreak — is applicable to schools, professional colleges, tuition centres and other educational institutions in the district.

This comes after the confirmation of the six infection of the Nipah virus.

India to Acquire 20 More Doses of Antibody Vaccine from Australia; Nipah Mortality Rate Very High

India has reached out to Australia for procuring 20 more doses of monoclonal antibody for the treatment of Nipah virus infection, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICRM) DG Rajeev Bahl said.

With repeated instances of Nipah outbreaks being reported and the mortality rate being very high compared to Covid, Bahl said that ICMR is also planning to start work on developing a vaccine against the viral disease.

“We got some doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia in 2018. Currently the doses are available for only 10 patients," Bahl said, adding globally monoclonal antibody has been given to 14 patients infected with Nipah virus outside India and all of them have survived.

“Twenty more doses are being procured. But the medicine needs to be given during the early stage of the infection," he said, adding it can only given as compassionate use medicine.

Bahl also said that mortality among the infected is very high in Nipah (between 40 and 70 per cent) compared to the mortality in Covid, which was 2-3 per cent.

Kerala HC Directs State Govt to Issue Guidelines for Sabarimala Pilgrimage

The Kerala High Court on Friday asked the state government to issue guidelines — if required — for the pilgrimage to Sabarimala when it opens for the monthly puja in view of the Nipah outbreak.

The court asked the Travancore Devaswom Board commissioner to hold discussions with the health secretary and take a decision on the matter.

One More Person Infected, Takes Total Nipah Cases To 6

A 39-year-old man tested positive for the Nipah virus, which was transmitted to him through direct contact with an infected person who died on August 30, State Health Minister Veena George said on Friday.

With the number of active cases rising to four, the state government has decided to test everyone who are on the high-risk contact list of the infected persons.

George said that the man was confirmed with the Nipah virus after his samples turned positive, taking the total infected in the state to six, of which two had died earlier.

K’taka Govt Issues Guidelines After Neighbouring Kerala’s Nipah Outbreak

The Karnataka government has issued guidelines for its people after the Nipah outbreak in its neighbouring state of Kerala.

The guidelines include avoiding unnecessary travel to the affected area in Kerala and intensifying fever surveillance in the bordering districts. Training of health staff and keeping beds ready at district hospitals for quarantining the suspected cases are among the measures suggested.

Issuing the guidelines for undertaking surveillance activities for immediate compliance, it said initiation of immediate actions by all the districts in the state to prevent the Nipah virus disease transmission at all levels is expected.