A short communication of Nipah virus outbreak in India: An urgent rising concern
Olivier Uwishema, Jack Wellington, Christin Berjaoui, Kamsi Olivia Muoka, Chinyere Vivian Patrick Onyeaka, Helen Onyeaka
Abstract
In the past two decades, countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, and India have recorded several cases of Nipah virus (NiV) infection. Following the 2018 NiV outbreak in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, India that claimed 17 lives, there has been a recent re-emergence of the virus in the same district, causing the recently reported death of a 12-year-old boy. Accordingly, population panic has heightened as inhabitants of these areas try to together combat the existing COVID-19 pandemic alongside the emerging NiV infection. Although the rate of transmission of NiV is low as compared to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), scientists suggest a higher mortality rate from NiV infection. In this manuscript, we aim to discuss the NiV infection in India as well as suggest recommendations to contain and ameliorate the severe impact of the virus on affected populations.