Authorities in southern India’s Kerala state are on high alert following the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy from the Nipah virus. The state's health minister has reported that 60 individuals are in the high-risk category for potential exposure to the virus.
Kerala has been identified as one of the regions most susceptible to Nipah virus outbreaks globally. The virus, originating from fruit bats and animals like pigs, can lead to a fatal brain-swelling fever in humans. Classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah has the potential to cause epidemics due to the lack of a vaccine or specific treatment.
