The Nipah scare has claimed another life in Kerala’s Calicut, taking the number of deaths to 16, while the cause of a soldier’s death in Kolkata is suspected to be the virus. Confirmation from the National Institute of Virology in Pune is awaited.
The soldier, Seenu Prasad, was from Kerala and was posted at Fort William. He was admitted to hospital on 20 May, seven days after his return from a month’s holiday in Kerala.
Meanwhile the scare created due to the spread of the virus has affected tourism in Kerala. The first case of the infection was reported from Kozhikode and since then 16 people have died due to the virus. These reason for these deaths has been confirmed to be the “rare and deadly” virus. The infection spreads through human contact.
The state health department issued an advisory for people travelling to the state and urged travellers to be extra cautious while visiting Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur districts.
A similar note of caution was issued by the Himachal Pradesh health ministry on Thursday after more than 18 dead bats were discovered on Wednesday in a government school in Nahan, triggering a panic among locals.
ALSO READ: Bats, pigs not the main cause of Nipah Virus: Report
For those unversed, Nipah virus, spread by fruit bats, causes communicable disease and is fatal for both animals and humans. The symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, drowsiness, respiratory illness, disorientation and mental confusion.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these signs and symptoms can progress to coma within 24-48 hours.
(With ANI inputs)