Alert doctor's swift action prevents Nipah Virus outbreak in Kerala | Fusion - WeRIndia

In parts of Kozhikode, a district in northern Kerala, a near-lockdown has been imposed to curb the spread of the Nipah virus outbreak.

This deadly virus has already claimed two lives and infected five individuals, including a healthcare worker.

The situation has raised concerns, with over 950 people, including relatives, friends etc., listed as contacts of the patients, with 213 falling into the high-risk category. Notably, 287 healthcare workers are also on the contact list.

Dr AS Anoop Kumar, the Director of Critical Care Medicine at Aster MIMS Hospital in Kozhikode, played a pivotal role in averting a potentially catastrophic outbreak.

His vigilance and quick thinking proved crucial when four patients were admitted to the hospital, all displaying symptoms such as fever and breathing difficulties.

Despite numerous clinical tests, including those for influenza and COVID-19, returning negative results, Dr Kumar sensed something was amiss.

His suspicion deepened when he discovered that the father of the two young patients had passed away in another private hospital on August 30.

Initially attributed to multiple organ failure, the deceased had also exhibited symptoms like slurred speech and diplopia.

Dr Kumar’s experience led him to believe that this was more than a pneumonia case.

Informed by his past experience in 2018 when the Nipah virus first emerged in Kerala, Dr Kumar, took a proactive approach.

He was working as the Chief of Critical Care Medicine at Baby Memorial Hospital in Kozhikode at that time.

Back in 2018, he had identified the viral infection when a 28-year-old man with symptoms like fever and vomiting was admitted.

As doctors grappled to pinpoint the cause, the infection advanced to the patient’s nervous system.

After rigorous consultations, the patient’s sample was sent for testing, and it was confirmed as a Nipah virus infection.

Although the patient succumbed to the virus on the same day the diagnosis was made, this early identification allowed healthcare authorities to swiftly contain the outbreak.

Without Dr. Kumar’s vigilance and swift response, the virus could have spread undetected.

The Nipah virus, caused by fruit bats, poses a grave threat to both humans and animals, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It manifests with symptoms like fever, headache, muscular pain, dizziness, and nausea, and has the potential to be fatal.

Dr Kumar’s actions serve as a testament to the critical role of vigilant healthcare professionals in identifying and containing infectious diseases, ultimately safeguarding public health.

Image Credit: Jaisuvyas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nipah_outbreak_2021_Kozhikode_-_3_kilometers_buffer_zone_map_around_the_epicentre.svg