Two suspected cases of Nipah virus infection reported from Mangaluru

Two cases of suspected Nipah virus infection were reported from Mangaluru. One patient is a 20-year-old woman from Kasargod and the other patient is a 75-year-old man from Mangaluru. 

It is suspected that the woman probably could have been exposed to the virus when she had visited the Perambra hospital in Kozhikode district of Kerala where a nurse was undergoing treatment for Nipah virus infection. The woman had been in close contact with the nurse. The nurse named Lina succumbed to the infection this Monday. 

However, the 75-year-old man has no history of travel. 

Samples from both the patients were taken and sent to the Manipal Centre for Virus Research (MCVR), Manipal. The samples will be sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune if the results from MCVR turn positive for Nipah Virus. 

According to reports, District Health Officer Dr M Ramakrishna Rao said, “The department is quite alert and messages have been sent to all government and private hospitals. Since hospitals in Mangaluru get a large number of patients from Kerala, we have directed them to report immediately if they come across any suspected cases of Nipah Virus infection. Taluk hospitals and primary health centres too have been warned to be alert. We are in touch with doctors in all hospitals in the district.”

Currently, the 20-year-old woman is admitted at a private hospital and the 75-year-old man is admitted at the Government Wenlock Hospital. Both of them are placed in quarantine. 

According to reports,  Mahamood Sharif, Research Officer, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka, said, "We have formed Rapid Response teams in each district that comprise six to seven members. They even go to the field if needed. They disseminate IEC (Information, Education and Communication) material at Primary Health Centre, Community Health Centre, Taluk and District Hospitals level."

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Puducherry governments have said that there is no need to panic in these states, but officials have been asked to be on alert in case of any suspected outbreak. 

Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry has said that the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala is a localised occurrence and there is no threat of its spread. 

The ministry said "the outbreak is unlikely to spread" as early and efficient containment measures have been jointly undertaken both by itself and the Kerala government.