Nipah virus suspected behind ‘unnatural’ deaths in India

The Kerala Health Department has issued a health alert in Kozhikode district after two “unnatural” deaths by suspected Nipah virus infection were reported on August 30 and September 11.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus that has been responsible for outbreaks of severe respiratory and neurological disease in humans where the risk factors and causes of Nipah virus transmission are primarily linked to its origin in fruit bats and subsequent spillover into other animals and humans.

According to health experts , there is no specific antiviral treatment for Nipah virus infection.