Kerala has confirmed the latest case of Nipah virus in the Malappuram district, health officials have said. Confirming the report, State Health Minister Veena George has stated that a 42-year-old woman from Valanchery in the district has been diagnosed with zoonotic infection. According to health officials, the woman is currently undergoing treatment at a city hospital. She had been experiencing a high fever for the past week and developed symptoms like a cough and breathlessness.
Her test samples were sent to the Kozhikode Microbiology Lab and then the Virology Laboratory in Pune, following the doctors’ suspicion of a possible Nipah infection. Later, the lab confirmed it.

What is the Nipah virus?

Nipah virus spreads between animals and people mainly through fruit bats, also called flying foxes, but can also spread through pigs and other animals like goats, horses, dogs, or cats. According to experts, the virus spreads when:

• Humans and animals have contact with the bodily fluids, like blood, poop, pee, or saliva, of an infected animal.
• Humans eat foods that have been contaminated by an infected animal.
• Humans are in close contact with a person who has the Nipah virus, usually while caring for them.

The best way to avoid the virus is to avoid exposure to sick animals in areas with known transmission, which includes avoiding food products that an infected animal can contaminate, like raw date palm sap or fruit.
It also causes mild to severe symptoms, which include encephalitis and death. Doctors say there is no medication or vaccine to treat it, and managing symptoms is the only way to cure Nipah.

What are the signs and symptoms of the Nipah virus?

According to experts, the initial symptoms of the Nipah virus include:

• High fever
• Headaches
• Breathing difficulties
• Cough and sore throat
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain and severe weakness
• Confusion and disorientation.
• Slurring speech
• Seizures
• Coma
• Breathing issues

Symptoms typically begin within four to 14 days after exposure to the virus. It’s common to have a fever or headache first and develop respiratory problems like cough and difficulty breathing later.
In severe cases, a person can develop a brain infection, which can be life-threatening and even fatal. However, experts are not sure why some people have severe symptoms and others have mild ones. Also, some people with the virus have no symptoms at all.

Is the Nipah virus contagious?

According to doctors, the Nipah virus is highly contagious and can spread through bodily fluids like saliva, poop, pee, and blood. This means if you are caring for a person with the virus, you could get it when the person coughs or sneezes.
The virus mainly spreads from animals to humans. But it can also spread from person to person. And that is why doctors advise the carers to wear protective equipment when treating a person with the Nipah virus.

Ways to treat the Nipah virus

While there are no antiviral medications to treat the virus, you can manage your symptoms, which consist of:

• Drinking lots of water
• Getting plenty of rest
• Taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen
• Using medications to control nausea or vomiting
• Using inhalers and nebulisers to improve breathing difficulties
• Taking antiseizure medications if you experience a seizure.