The Kerala government on Wednesday announced the closure of schools in seven districts after several cases of the Nipah virus were reported. The decision has been taken to shut schools, offices and other institutions in order to curb the spread of the rare and deadly virus.
As per the reports, seven gram panchayats in Kerala's Kozhikode, where two individuals died from the Nipah virus, have been designated as containment zones, the government informed. The state government has also imposed restrictions and other measures to curb the spread of the infection.
The action was taken after the state health ministry issued an alert following the confirmation of Nipah cases in four people, including a nine-year-old child, in the Kozhikode district. Some offices and schools in the impacted areas were shuttered by the authorities.
About Nipah Virus
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the deadly brain-damaging Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (transmitted from animals to humans) that can be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. The virus can also cause severe disease in pigs and other animals, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.
Signs and Symptoms
The early symptoms that an infected person has include fever, headaches, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting, and sore throat. This may also include dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological symptoms indicative of acute encephalitis. The effective people may also feel atypical pneumonia and serious respiratory issues, such as acute respiratory distress. Severe cases include encephalitis and seizures, which progress to coma within 24 to 48 hours.
