Kerala issues alert against West Nile fever
Alert sounded against mosquito-borne viral infection after one death and around eight cases were reported from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thrissur districts in recent days; Health Minister says there is no need to worry; ocials have been told to intensify
The Kerala government issued an alert in the State on Tuesday against West Nile fever, a mosquito-borne viral infection, after one death and eight cases were reported from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thrissur districts in recent days.
According to ocial sources, the death of a 79year-old man from Vadanappally in Thrissur on May 3 has been attributed to the infection. Five cases have so far been reported in Kozhikode. There are two suspected cases in Malappuram too.
Kozhikode
Collector
Snehil Kumar Singh told mediapersons on Tuesday evening that four of the ve infected persons had been discharged from the Government Medical College Hospital. One person is still under treatment.
Three of them are natives of Kozhikode city and one each from Koodaranhi and Nanminda. Another suspected patient has been admitted to a private hospital, Mr. Singh added.
Minister’s statement
A statement from Health Minister Veena George said the infection had been reported from various districts in the State since 2011 and there was no reason to worry. District Medical Ofcers
have been told to intensify pre-monsoon cleaning drives in coordination with the Department of Local Self-Government and the respective district administration, she added.
The infection was conrmed after samples of blood and cerebrospinal uid of suspected patients were examined at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Lab attached to the medical college hospital. They were later sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for ocial conrmation.
Symptoms of fever Symptoms of the infection include high fever, headache, neck stiness, disorientation, stupor, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis.
Most of the symptoms are similar to that of Japanese encephalitis. However, 80% of the patients need not show any symptoms.
The disease is spread by the Culex species of mosquitoes. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), human infection is most often the result of bites from the infected mosquitoes. This happens when they feed on infected birds, which circulate the virus in their blood for a few days.
There has been no human-to-human transmission so far.
The WHO says that the treatment is supportive for patients with neuro-invasive West Nile virus, often involving hospitalisation, intravenous uids, respiratory support, and prevention of secondary infections. No vaccine is available for humans.
TEMPERATURE DATA: IMD, POLLUTION DATA: CPCB, MAP: INSAT/IMD (TAKEN AT 18.00 HRS)
Forecast for Wednesday: Heavy rainfall likely at isolated places over Odisha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe and south interior Karnataka. Heat wave conditions likely to prevail in isolated pockets over Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh and north interior Karnataka