India Procures 20 More Monoclonal Antibody Doses from Australia Amid Nipah Virus Outbreak
KOZHIKODE: In a proactive response to the emerging Nipah virus outbreak in the state of Kerala, India has taken measures to procure an additional 20 doses of monoclonal antibodies from Australia. The outbreak has raised significant concerns, with a confirmed case of Nipah virus reported in Kozhikode, bringing the total number of infections to six, including two fatalities within the past 15 days.
ICMR Director General Rajiv Bahl addressed the situation during a press briefing in the national capital. He revealed that India had previously acquired some doses of monoclonal antibody medication from Australia back in 2018. However, currently, these doses are available for only ten patients. Strikingly, no one in India has received this medication so far. This move comes as the mortality rate associated with Nipah virus infection remains alarmingly high, ranging between 40% and 70%, far surpassing the mortality rate of COVID-19, which stood at 2-3%. Bahl also announced that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is actively planning to initiate work on the development of a vaccine to combat this deadly viral disease.
The gravity of the situation has prompted the Kerala government to take swift action, with an announcement of the closure of all educational institutions in Kozhikode district for a week, until the following Sunday. This directive encompasses schools, professional colleges, tuition centers, and other educational establishments within the district.
Kerala is currently grappling with a resurgence of Nipah virus cases. Nipah virus, a highly dangerous pathogen known for causing severe brain damage, spreads through contact with the body fluids of infected bats, pigs, or humans. The virus was first identified in 2018.
In response to the escalating crisis, all hospitals treating Nipah virus patients in Kerala have been instructed to establish medical boards that will convene twice daily to compile and submit reports to the health department.
Health Minister Veena George, on Friday, disclosed that approximately 29 individuals in other districts are currently on the contact list of those infected with Nipah virus. It is expected that this contact list will continue to grow, and notably, 17 individuals who attended the cremation of the man who succumbed to the virus on August 30 have been placed under isolation.
As of the present, the contact list for confirmed Nipah patients includes 1,080 individuals, with 130 new additions reported on the same day. Among these, 327 individuals are healthcare workers.
Beyond Kozhikode, 29 people on the contact list hail from neighboring districts, with 22 in Malappuram, three in Kannur, three in Thrissur, and one in Wayanad.
The state officially issued a Nipah virus alert on September 12 after two individuals died from symptoms consistent with viral infection and fever. Subsequent tests conducted at the National Institute of Virology in Pune confirmed that the deaths were indeed caused by the Nipah virus.
Addressing concerns related to public gatherings, the Kerala High Court urged the state government to issue guidelines, if deemed necessary, for the pilgrimage to Sabarimala when it reopens for its monthly puja, taking into account the ongoing Nipah virus outbreak.
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