Nipah virus (NiV) infection a newly emerging zoonosis causing severe disease in both animals and humans: WHO
Chennai sources reported that in the wake of neighboring state Kerala reporting several deaths due to Nipah virus in Kozhikode district, the Tamilnadu health department sounded an alert for data-bordering districts of Kerala intensifying monitoring of fever cases in Kanyakumari, Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Tirunelveli. Meanwhile the state health department alerted the deputy directors of public health and collectors of the data-bordering districts to ensure that there is no epidemic outbreak in Tamilnadu.
Accordingly State health secretary J. Radhakrishnan told reporters that Tamilnadu health department is in constant touch with the Kerala health department on the incidence of Nipah virus. He said “We have cautioned all the district health ministry’s to be on an alert and keep a check on any symptoms of the dreaded virus and not to panic or be anxious as the cases have not been reported in Tamilnadu so far, the awareness and alert is a precautionary measure".
According to World Health Organization the natural hosts of the Nipah
virus (NiV) are fruit bats that affect humans and animals like pigs and other
domestic animals. Moreover the primary treatment for the virus infection in
case of human is intensive supportive care.