Kerala has sounded a health alert in Kozhikode district after two "unnatural" deaths suspected to be due to the dreaded Nipah virus

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Alert in Kerala

Named after a Malaysian village Sungai Nipah, where it was first detected, it is a zoonotic virus that can spread from animals to humans.

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What is Nipah?

Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are hosts for Nipah virus. Close contact with it or its body fluids carry high risk of transmission.

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Found in fruit bats 

There have been previous instances of deaths due to Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode in 2018 and 2021.

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How dangerous is it?

From respiratory to fatal encephalitis - inflammation of the brain. The symptoms include fever, headache, cough, difficulty breathing and vomiting. 

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What are the symptoms?

If untreated, it can lead to disorientation, seizures and coma. Nipah has a fatality rate between 40 per cent to 75 per cent.

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How bad can symptoms get?

According to the WHO, no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah are currently available.

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Is there a cure?