One person dies from Nipah virus in the Indian state of Kerala; second death this year – News

A 24-year-old student has died of the Nipah virus in the southern Indian state of Kerala, a local medical official said on Monday. 151 people who had come into contact with the victim are under observation to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

This is the second death caused by Nipah in Kerala since July. Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) as it has the potential to cause an epidemic. There is no vaccine to prevent the infection and no treatment to cure it.

Parts of Kerala are among the world's most at risk of outbreaks of the virus, a Reuters investigation found last year. Nipah, which comes from fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can cause fatal, brain-swelling fevers in humans.

The student showed symptoms of fever on September 4 and died five days later, said R. Renuka, a district doctor in the city of Malappuram in northern Kerala.

Since its first appearance in the state of Kerala in 2018, Nipah has been linked to the deaths of dozens of people.