Nipah scare enters Karnataka: Three cases suspected in Bengaluru
The Nipah scare has now entered Karnataka. Three suspected cases have been reported in the last two days in Bengaluru. All the three recently visited Kerala, their hometown, and upon return, reported symptoms similar to Nipah. Their samples have been sent for testing. Reports suggest they work as nurses in the city.
'Symptoms that of flu, may be not from Nipah Virus'
The state health department has admitted to the cases, but refused to acknowledge the presence of Nipah. "The symptoms are nothing but that of flu, but as a precautionary measure, their body fluids have been sent for tests." "There are chances of the tests coming negative for Nipah virus infection," said Dr. BG Prakash Kumar, deputy director, National Vector Borne Disease Control Program.
Nurses not hospitalized, but kept in isolation, being closely monitored
Kumar added the nurses have been kept in isolation and being monitored. Test reports are awaited from Manipal Centre for Virus Research. A few days ago, two Mangaluru-based persons were suspected to have contracted the virus, but results ruled that out. Though not on alert, neighboring Goa has been put on vigilance. Till now, 14 have succumbed to Nipah in Kerala.
Nipah virus: Where and how it began
The Nipah virus (NiV) was first documented in 1998 in Malaysia, when it left almost 100 dead. There were two outbreaks in West Bengal, in 2001 and 2007, which resulted in the deaths of over 50 people. It's thought to spread by infected pigs and fruit-eating bats, with the latter considered natural carriers of the virus. However, human-to-human transmission has also been documented.
Look out for these symptoms of Nipah
Common symptoms of Nipah include fever, nausea, headaches and fainting. Other symptoms like stomach ache and vomiting might show up in some cases too. Chances of contracting encephalitis are high. There's also a possibility of patients going into coma within two days. The incubation period is around 5-14 days, and symptoms start becoming visible after this period.
