Bangladesh Strain Of Nipah Virus Can Kill 9 Out Of 10: Top Epidemiologist

India's top epidemiologist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar has said that the Bangladesh strain of Nipah virus can kill nine out of 10 people.

Speaking to News18, he highlighted the importance of finding the source of the virus to prevent its spread. "Top priorities are finding the index patient, finding the origin of Nipah virus, testing all the animals around, mobilising the community and keeping medical aid ready," the website quoted him as saying.

Kerala is battling its fourth outbreak of the Nipah virus since 2018. The state has confirmed six cases so far and two people have died, this year.

Days ago, Veena George, State Health Minister, said that Nipah cases detected in the state were of the Bangladesh strain.

"The Malaysian strain is known for manifesting neurological symptoms but the Bangladesh strain is known for higher case fatality rate or deaths... It will kill nine people out of 10 infected, approximately," India's top epidemilogist said. He claimed that 89 per cent of patients were killed out of 23 infected patients in 2018.

On Friday, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General, said that the mortality rate of the Nipah virus is much higher than Covid-19.

"Mortality among those infected with Nipah virus is very high- between 40 to 70 per cent as compared to that of Covid which was around 2-3 per cent," Bahl said at a press meet as Kozhikode in Kerala reported a fresh case on Friday.

The first case of Nipah was reported in Kerala in Kozhikode in 2018. It was detected in Ernakulam in 2019.

The viral infection was reported again in Kozhikode in 2021.

At present, six cases of Nipah infection have been confirmed in the state. Of the six, two persons have died bringing the number of active cases to 4.

In a relief for the Kerala government, no fresh positive cases of Nipah virus were reported on Saturday in the state even as five more persons, who came into contact with those infected, showing some symptoms of the disease were admitted in isolation at the medical hospital.

To prevent the spread of the viral infection, the state government has announced that all schools and colleges will conduct online classes from September 18 in Kozhikode.