(Image source from: News18.com)

On Monday, the Kerala Health Department announced a health alert in Kozhikode after two suspects had unnatural deaths, they were suspected of Nipah Virus infection. Both patients complained of high fever and died naturally, later officially claimed that, they both died unnaturally. Immediately after the doubt arose, Kerala State Health Minister Veena George called for a high-level meeting to review the situation.

A relative of one of the suspects is also admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), as per the health department statement. The first case of Nipah Virus in South India was registered in Kozhikode on May 19th 2018. After that several deaths have been registered in Kozhikode district between 2018 and 2021.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah Virus is a zoonotic illness, which can be transmitted to human beings from animals. The virus can also be transmitted through contaminated food or from person to person. Nipah virus-infected patients will have acute respiratory infection and fatal encephalitis. Shockingly the death rate of Nipah Virus in India is only 75 per cent.