Greater regularity: On the Nipah virus
The case of a 42-year-old woman in Kerala testing positive for Nipah virus on May 8 makes it the third such instance being reported from the State's Malappuram district in the last two years. The earlier cases were detected last year, in a 14-year-old boy on July 21 and a 24-year-old adult on September 15. With the latest detection of Nipah in the State, Kerala has recorded two outbreaks, in the years 2018 and 2023, involving human-to-human transmission, and four spillovers in the years 2019 and 2021, and two events in 2024. In the May 8 event, even though only one person tested positive for Nipah and seven close contacts tested negative, it is a bit early to call it a spillover. Unlike an outbreak, Nipah spillovers are restricted to a single case with no human-to-human transmission. One reason for the absence of human spread is the timely detection of the case and isolation of the patient. The other reason is the clinical presentation. In the case of Nipah virus spillovers, patients who tested positive for the virus had presented with acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), while in the Nipah outbreaks in 2018 and 2023, the index case and at least a few other infected people had presented with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Compared with AES, patients with ARDS present with relatively severe conditions with lung involvement. Besides cough, patients presenting with ARDS have higher viral loads, which serve as a surrogate for disease severity. Immaterial of whether blood, urine or cerebrospinal fluid samples test positive or not, throat swab samples generally test positive if a person is infected by the Nipah virus, which again serve as an indicator of human spread in the case of patients with ARDS. The high viral load, the presence of virus in the throat and the tendency to cough make human spread possible. Greater disease severity in ARDS cases is also the reason for the Nipah deaths in 2018 and 2023. There were 17 deaths from 18 cases in the 2018 outbreak, and two deaths from six cases in the 2023 outbreak. A study by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune found that the 2018 Nipah virus had small genetic variations from the Bangladesh strain and was able to cause multisystemic disease in a Syrian hamster model resembling human infection.
The Nipah virus is capable of causing different clinical presentations and is endowed with the ability to cause human spread in some cases. This makes a strong case for a quick and thorough genetic study of the virus in humans and bats. With Nipah cases now a very regular occurrence in Kerala, the compulsion to routinely study fruit bats, which are natural hosts for Nipah, cannot be overemphasised. That even the 2018 virus showed small genetic differences from the Bangladesh strain makes it even more important to know whether the virus causing the spillovers without human spread has evolved further. Such studies can be done by more scientists only when the genetic sequences are shared in public databases without any delay.
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India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Healthy India can be ensured through healthy food habits and lifestyle: JP Nadda on World Food Safety Day
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 7 (ANI): On the occasion of World Food Safety Day 2025, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, JP Nadda, delivered the keynote address at a special programme themed 'Stop Obesity by Eating Safe and Healthy' at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru on Saturday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a release. JP Nadda said that a healthy India is necessary for Viksit Bharat, and that can be ensured through the right types of food, healthy food habits, and lifestyle. Organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, the programme focused on the critical role of food safety and nutrition in preventing non-communicable diseases such as obesity, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to promote preventive health through traditional and wholesome dietary practices. Minister of Medical Education and Skill Development Department, Government of Karnataka, Dr Sharan Prakash R Patil, Members of Parliament, Lahar Singh Siroya and P C Mohan, Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava and senior officers of the Government of India also attended the event. In his keynote address, Nadda reiterated the Prime Minister's emphasis on preventing obesity and prioritising wellness. Emphasizing the urgent need to address the rising burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases, Nadda stated that 'the awareness initiative to stop obesity is a timely step towards educating people about the health risks of poor dietary habits and encouraging them to embrace balanced, nutritious food' and underlined that 'for a Viksit Bharat, a healthy India is necessary and that can be ensured through the right types of food, healthy food habits and healthy lifestyle.' The Union Health Minister underlined the importance of safe, healthy, and nutritious food and the benefits of a balanced diet that can ensure increased immunity. Nadda reaffirmed the commitment to this year's World Food Safety Day theme, 'Food Safety: Science in Action.' Recognising the alarming trend of rising obesity, citing the ICMR-India Diabetes (INDIAB) study, Nadda stated that 'from 2008 to 2020, obesity in urban India has increased by 39.6 per cent, while it has increased 23.1 per cent in rural areas.' He also cited another study that projects that by 2050, 1/3 of the country's population will be obese. Underlining the challenge of unhealthy foods and dietary habits, especially in urban areas, Nadda stressed that children are the most vulnerable group when it comes to adulterated foods, as they are attracted towards unhealthy foods and their advertisements. To meet this challenge, he called for ensuring awareness at a young age to bring a better impact. Highlighting the negative impact of ultra-processed foods on health, Nadda urged everyone to be careful of their food habits and adhere to nutritious food that brings healthy changes to one's mind and body. He further added that 'eating right is a right that one must exercise. Eating right and ensuring awareness about it is a collective responsibility of the government, industry, academia, and individuals.' Nadda urged all stakeholders to respond to the Prime Minister's clarion call and reduce oil consumption by 10 per cent and salt intake, which can be ensured through awareness of the right food habits. Nadda also commended the innovative behavioural change strategy i.e., the widespread promotion of Sugar and Oil Boards across schools, workplaces and public institutions, developed by FSSAI under the aegis of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare that serve as powerful visual advocacy tools, displaying clear, relatable information about hidden sugars and fats in everyday food items. By embedding these messages in common spaces- canteens, corridors, meeting rooms- they subtly nudge individuals to make healthier choices. He also suggested that to make the initiative more effective, calorie intake should also be highlighted along with sugar, and he urged the incorporation of awareness in the curriculum. Emphasising the importance of traditional foods, Nadda urged all to 'go for traditional foods that include foods like millets and revive them to ensure health for all.' He further highlighted the importance of informed choices and lifestyle changes and remarked that food safety habits are a continuous process that needs to be made a part of our lives and turned into a movement to 'eat right' while adhering to food safety norms.' (ANI)
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
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As of now, the variants of COVID-19 doing the rounds in India are descendants of the Omicron variant, first reported in November 2021. The emerging sub-variants, NB.1.8.1 and LF.7, driving the current COVID-19 surge are descendants of JN.1, a sub-lineage of the Omicron BA.2.86 variant. In Kerala for instance, a senior health department official said that 'almost all of the samples sent for whole genome sequencing from the State have shown that the circulating virus variant is LF.1, one of the descendants of Omicron, the immune evasiveness of which is quite well-known.' Cases have mostly been mild, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The reported symptoms are those of the common cold or seasonal flu, including fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue, body aches, and loss of appetite. P. Senthur Nambi, senior consultant, Infectious Diseases, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, said most of the COVID-19 patients he had seen so far have done well. 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The official, however, added that the government could direct manufacturers to produce more stocks as and when necessary. Most States, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal, have no stocks or supplies of the vaccine at present either in the government or private sector. Are vaccines needed at present? Doctors across the board say that at present they see no need for a mass vaccination drive. 'By the time Omicron ran its course, almost all of our population had been exposed to the virus. Even when this antibody protection wanes, the long-term immune memory remains. This innate immunity plus the vaccine-derived immunity through good coverage of the initial two doses means that most people have strong hybrid immunity against COVID-19,' the Kerala health department official said. Previous vaccines may not be very effective against the Omicron variants but would, however, offer protection against serious forms of the disease. 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Kerala has said it was 'not advocating for or against COVID booster shots' because of the lack of epidemiological data that booster doses offered enhanced protection against emerging immune-evasive variants. What next? The Delhi High Court, earlier this week, directed the Centre to submit a thorough status report detailing its actions regarding the policy for sample collection, collection centres, and transportation of samples. The court also stressed urgency to finalise and implement Standard Operating Procedures. As the virus continues to adapt, so must we, Dr. Bardhan pointed out. Staying informed and following trusted health sources, personal protection and hygiene measures such as hand washing, avoiding crowded places when possible or masking up, refraining from going outdoors when ill and maintaining a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle could help navigate this phase and any more to come. Compiled by Zubeda Hamid, with inputs from C. Maya in Kerala, Serena Josephine M. in Chennai, Bindu Shajan Perappadan in Delhi, Afshan Yasmeen in Bengaluru, Shrabana Chatterjee in Kolkata and Siddharth Kumar Singh in Hyderabad.
Hans India
8 hours ago
- Hans India
Healthy food habits and lifestyle key for Viksit Bharat: JP Nadda
New Delhi: Embracing healthy food habits and following a proper lifestyle is essential for India to be Viksit Bharat by 2047, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda said on Saturday. Delivering the keynote address at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, the Union Minister reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on preventing obesity and prioritising wellness. This is also critical to check the rising burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), J.P. Nadda said. 'For a Viksit Bharat, a healthy India is necessary and that can be ensured through the right types of food, healthy food habits and healthy lifestyle," he said. Highlighting the rising burden of NCD, the Health Minister, based on the ICMR–India Diabetes (INDIAB) study, stated that 'from 2008 to 2020, obesity in urban, India has increased by 39.6 per cent, while it has increased 23.1 per cent in rural areas". He also shared another study that projects that one third population of the country will be obese by 2050. J.P. Nadda called the awareness initiatives to stop obesity "a timely step towards educating people about the health risks of poor dietary habits and encouraging them to embrace balanced, nutritious food'. Further, he stressed the need to boost awareness from young age -- as children are the most vulnerable group when it comes to adulterated foods as they are attracted towards unhealthy foods and their advertisements. In this light, J.P. Nadda commended the innovative behavioural change strategy that is, the widespread promotion of Sugar and Oil Boards across schools, workplaces and public institutions, developed by FSSAI . The Health Minister urged all stakeholders to respond to the Prime Minister's clarion call and reduce oil consumption by 10 per cent and reduce salt intake that can be ensured through awareness towards right food habits. The Union Health Minister also emphasised the importance of traditional foods like millets. Citing the occasion of World Food Safety Day 2025, J.P. Nadda stated that food safety habits must be a continuous process. It should be "made a part of our lives and turned into a movement to 'eat right' while adhering to food safety norms,' the Health Minister added.
