Kerala has sounded a health alert in Kozhikode district after two "unnatural" deaths suspected to be due to the dreaded Nipah virus
Named after a Malaysian village Sungai Nipah, where it was first detected, it is a zoonotic virus that can spread from animals to humans.
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.
There have been previous instances of deaths due to Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode in 2018 and 2021.
From respiratory to fatal encephalitis - inflammation of the brain. The symptoms include fever, headache, cough, difficulty breathing and vomiting.
If untreated, it can lead to disorientation, seizures and coma. Nipah has a fatality rate between 40 per cent to 75 per cent.
According to the WHO, no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah are currently available.