Outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala: 5 confirmed cases, 700 on contact list with 77 high-risk individuals

The Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection that can be transmitted from animals or contaminated food to humans and can then spread from person to person.

Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, difficulty in breathing, and vomiting, which in severe cases can lead to swelling of the brain and brain death. In a recent development, a 24-year-old health worker who had close contact with a Nipah patient tested positive, bringing the total number of cases in the state to five. As a response to this, the state government has implemented containment measures and restrictions to prevent the virus from spreading further. The contact list of the patients has raised concerns, as it includes approximately 700 people, with 77 of them considered high-risk.