Kerala health dept on alert as 3 distts report West Nile Virus cases

KOCHI: Kerala’s health department on Tuesday directed all districts to step up pre-monsoon cleaning drives and surveillance activities after cases of West Nile Virus were recently reported in three districts.

While five cases of the vectorborne disease were reported in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thrissur districts have also reported infections in recent days, officials said, declining to be named. Since many cases are asymptomatic, the health department has not provided an official tally yet.

“Of the five cases reported so far in the district, four have recovered and one is currently under treatment in the government medical college hospital,”

Kozhikode district collector Snehil Kumar Singh told reporters.

“Cases of West Nile Fever have been reported in the district before. It’s similar to dengue. There is no cause for alarm or panic right now. There are no hot spots.”

“Since it’s a vector-borne disease, stagnant water sources will have to be cleaned and mosquito breeding stopped. In 80% of the cases, there are usually no symptoms,” he added.

Directions have been issued to districts to have coordinated activities with officials of the local self-government department to prevent mosquito breeding and cleaning of water sources, state health minister Veena George said.