Nipah scare: Travellers to be screened for 18 days

BENGALURU: While efforts are on to contain the spread of the Nipah virus in Kerala, an epidemic scare is gripping Karnataka too. Two suspected Nipah virus infection (NiV) cases were reported in Mangaluru on Tuesday. The state health department has directed district administrations to screen persons travelling from areas infected by the virus for 18 days. The deadly viral infection is known to have a mortality rate of 70%.
Dr P L Nataraj, director, health and family welfare department, said in both suspected cases reported in Mangaluru, there is an epidemiological link with Kerala. “While one person is from Kasaragod, the other person recently visited Kerala,” Nataraj said.


Vulnerable districts identified

The department has identified the districts of Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru as vulnerable. District health officers have been asked to mandatorily report any outbreak of Nipah. The department is not only taking precautions in border areas with Kerala, but also in Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru, which have a huge population of fruit bats.

District administrations have been asked to identify at least two beds to isolate suspected Nipah cases. “The instructions should be passed to all identified government and private institutions to monitor vital parameters of suspected patients and to record history of patients with flu-like symptoms,” the circular states. “ICU with ventilator should be identified and kept ready to receive emergencies. Healthcare personnel should follow standard precautions when caring for patients with suspected or confirmed NiV and handling specimens.”

Dr B G Prakash Kumar, deputy director, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, health and family welfare department, said that there is no clarity yet on the source of infection in Kerala. “In Kerala, live tissues of a bat were sent for tests to Bhopal and the results are awaited. We do not yet know whether the infection came from pigs or bats,” he said. Nipah virus does not spread through air, but only through body fluids.