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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) announced on Friday that India will procure an additional 20 doses of...
Digital Desk: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) announced on Friday that India will procure an additional 20 doses of monoclonal antibody treatment for Nipah virus infection from Australia. This decision comes as part of India's efforts to combat the ongoing outbreak of the Nipah virus in the state of Kerala.
The ICMR Director General, Rajiv Bahl, revealed during a press briefing in the national capital that India had previously obtained some doses of monoclonal antibody treatment from Australia in 2018. However, these doses are currently available for only ten patients. Dr. Bahl emphasized the importance of administering the medication during the early stages of Nipah virus infection and clarified that these treatments can only be used as "compassionate use medicine." The final decision to administer the treatment will involve the State government, medical professionals, and the families of the affected patients.
Dr. Bahl highlighted the positive global track record of monoclonal antibody treatments for Nipah virus, stating, "Globally, monoclonal antibodies have been given to 14 patients infected with Nipah virus outside India, and all of them have survived." He assured that extensive efforts are being undertaken to contain the outbreak in Kerala, noting that most cases have been traced back to contacts of a single index patient.
Regarding the clinical trials for the monoclonal antibody treatment, Dr. Bahl clarified, "Only phase 1 trials to establish the safety of the medicine have been conducted outside India. Efficacy trials have not been conducted. It can only be given as compassionate use medicine." He went on to emphasize the stark contrast in mortality rates between Nipah virus and COVID-19, saying, "If COVID had a mortality rate of 2-3 percent, here the mortality is 40-70 percent. So, the mortality is extremely high."
The ICMR Director General also addressed the recurring cases of Nipah virus in Kerala, saying, "Why cases keep surfacing in Kerala, we do not know... In 2018, we found the outbreak in Kerala was related to bats. We are not sure how the infection passed from bats to humans. The link couldn't be established. Again, we are trying to find out this time. It always happens in the rainy season."
He stressed the absence of a vaccine for Nipah virus and the high level of infectivity, urging people to follow COVID-19 preventive measures such as social distancing, mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and isolation if symptoms are identified. He further cautioned against the consumption of raw food that could be exposed to bats and recommended avoiding bat colonies.
Meanwhile, a recent case of Nipah virus was confirmed in Kerala, bringing the total number of active cases to four. Among the newly infected individuals is a nine-year-old child. This brings the overall tally of Nipah virus infections in Kerala to six, with two fatalities recorded.
The state health minister's office reported that a 39-year-old patient is currently under observation in a Kozhikode hospital. To prevent further spread, the state government has strengthened measures, including testing samples from 15 individuals in the high-risk category on the contact list, which contains a total of 950 people, including 213 in the high-risk category. Additionally, 287 health workers are included in the contact list.
Four high-risk individuals are receiving treatment at a private hospital, while 17 others are under surveillance at the Kozhikode medical college, according to the state health department.
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, visited the Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV) on September 14 to review the steps taken to contain the virus outbreak in Kerala. A multi-disciplinary team led by Dr. Mala Chhabra has been dispatched by the Union Health Ministry to support the state in implementing public health measures to address the outbreak. High-level teams equipped with BSL-3 (Biosafety Level 3) laboratories have been deployed to Kozhikode for on-ground testing.
Containment zones have been declared in nine panchayats, and new restrictions have been enforced in Kozhikode district, prohibiting gatherings or public events, including those at places of worship, in all containment zones.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus is transmitted by fruit bats and can be fatal to both humans and animals. It can cause symptoms such as respiratory illness, fever, muscular pain, headache, dizziness, and nausea. Kerala experienced a Nipah virus outbreak in the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in 2018, and a case was reported in Kozhikode in 2021. As the current outbreak unfolds, health authorities continue to work diligently to control its spread and safeguard public health.
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