BAHRAINIS have been warned against travelling to Kerala as the Indian state grapples with the outbreak of a rare, brain-damaging virus that has already killed 11 people.
Indian health officials were yesterday checking if the life-threatening Nipah virus had spread to a second state after two suspected cases were reported in adjacent Karnataka.
Kerala has issued a state-wide alert and set up a 24-hour control room to monitor the situation.
“The Consulate General of the Kingdom of Bahrain in Mumbai announces Nipah virus infection in Kerala, India spread by fruit bats,” said a tweet.
“Avoid travelling to Kerala till situation is under control.”
The Nipah virus (NiV) is known to infect both humans and domestic animals, but was first identified in fruit bats which are also the natural hosts of the virus.
There is no vaccine for the virus, carried by fruit bats and spread through contact with bodily fluids, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says.
Treatment for the virus, which has a mortality rate of about 70 per cent, is supportive care.
The GDN reported on Tuesday that a Bahraini resident and the husband of a nurse in Kerala who died from the virus was awaiting the results of blood tests on him and his two sons.
Sajeesh Puthur, an employee of Awan Media Bahrain, travelled to Kerala on Sunday after his wife Lini, aged 33, was diagnosed with the virus.
However, she died at around 2am on Monday after being in the intensive care unit for around four days.
“The blood test results have not been released yet,” Mr Puthur told the GDN as he and his children have been confined to their home.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Cabinet yesterday offered a government job to Mr Puthur.
The government will also give 10 lakh rupees (BD5,525) each to the two sons.
It also announced a compensation of 5 lakh rupees to the relatives of other victims of the virus.
Initial symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, drowsiness, breathing difficulties and mental confusion which appear within three to 14 days after exposure; these can progress into a coma within 24 to 48 hours.
However, a community leader said fears of the virus spreading to Bahrain via people returning from Kerala were unfounded.
“There is strong awareness of the virus and there is no need for panic,” said Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam president Radhakrishna Pillai P V.
“I am in touch with my friends and officials in Kerala and the situation is under control.”
He said there are more than 200,000 Keralites currently living in Bahrain and as far as he was aware no one has cancelled plans to travel to the Indian state.
The virus was detected before it could lead to a major outbreak, he said adding that hospitals were well equipped with isolation wards.
Awareness
Though precautionary measures are being taken, spreading awareness was vital, according to Kerala Catholic Association (KCA) general secretary Viju Jose.
“Educating people not to eat anything partially consumed by bats is important as well as refraining from contact with animals,” he said.
“People are getting a little afraid now because their relatives are in Kerala but the government is already taking measures.”
He said messages on social media have contributed to some of the fear but he urged people to increase their awareness and avoid spreading fear.
“All clubs and associations in Bahrain are using media platforms to spread awareness in the community so there is some fear but it will all be over in a few days,” he said.
A previous outbreak in India of the virus in 2001 claimed 45 lives out of the reported 66 cases in West Bengal state.
The disease is transmitted to humans either by direct contact with infected bats or livestock, or by consuming infected fruits or touching infected people.
Kerala health officials found bats in the well of a house belonging to a family in Kozhikode district which lost three members to the virus.
The well, which was a source of water for the family, was sealed.
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