Deadly Nipah virus kills 12 in Kerala: Report

Kerala : A deadly and contagious virus is suspected to have killed 12 people in Kerala, leading hundreds running to a hospital in the panic.

A Pune-based National Institute of Virology on Sunday confirmed that three deaths in a family are due to Nipah virus. Another member of the family is critical and is on a ventilator support.

How Nipah Virus spreads?

The Nipah virus spreads in humans after they consume fruits or date-palm sap contaminated by infected bats. Human to human transmission through body fluids is rare.

Before Kerala, the virus was first detected in West Bengal in 2001. 

Four deaths were reported on Monday, including of a nurse who treated the three initial infections at the EMS Cooperative Hospital in Perambra. At least six persons are in critical condition and another 20 are under observation, state health officials said.

What is the government doing to control the virus?

The Central government has sent a team of researchers to take stock of the situation and come up with a possible solution.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked people not to panic as the situation is under control. He has also requested private hospitals to cooperate and admit patients diagnosed with Nipah virus. The state government offered to pay medical bills for such patients.