Letters to The Editor — July 7, 2025
Once again, Nipah arrives, uninvited — Kerala's most persistent and punctual monsoon guest.
While the Health Department's rapid containment is commendable, disease recurrence reflects gaps in epidemic foresight and community-level preparedness. Must we always greet viruses with press meets and panic? It is time our public health strategy moved from reactive mode to a resilience model. Until then, Nipah seems more punctual than policy.
Azim Parayangattil,
Vadakkekad, Thrissur, Kerala
Trade deal with the U.S.
India's upcoming interim trade deal with the U.S. may sound promising, but who truly benefits from it? Are we safeguarding our farmers, or are we silently surrendering to economic pressure? Can India's small-scale agricultural backbone withstand a flood of imports? And, are we evaluating national interest through long-term stability, or through short-term headlines? Trade must not be rushed under foreign influence. We need clarity, consultation, and care before we sign.
Hasnain Rabbani,
Mumbai
A heave of 86.18 m
Congrats to Neeraj Chopra, India's ace javelin thrower, who scripted history by winning the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic title ('Sport' page, July 6). We wish him all success.
R. Sampath,
Chennai
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The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Batting for prevention: on Nipah cases in Kerala
With two cases of Nipah virus detected in Kerala — including one fatality owing to the infection — the attention is rightfully, once again, on a preventable infectious disease that could leave havoc in its trail. An adolescent girl from Malappuram succumbed to the virus on July 1, and a 38-year-old woman from Palakkad is battling for life in the hospital. In the big picture, as many as 425 people who are in the contact lists of the two Nipah-infected persons in three districts in Kerala have been identified and are under surveillance. Of these, 228 are from Malappuram district, where Patient Zero was identified this time, 110 in Palakkad and 87 in Kozhikode. In Palakkad, one contact is being treated in isolation, while 12 people are currently undergoing treatment in Malappuram — five of them are in the intensive care unit. One of them tested negative for the infection, and the results for the others are awaited. Over 140 of those on the contact list are said to be health workers. While the health machinery in Kerala is engaged in tracing the original source of the infection, it is also tasked, particularly in the three districts of Malappuram, Palakkad and Kozhikode, to trace contacts, isolate them to prevent further spread, contain infection and treat all those who show symptoms. India has recorded several outbreaks of the virus since 2001, a year when 45 of the 66 people infected died in West Bengal. In 2018, it surged in Kerala, with 17 of the 19 cases with laboratory-confirmed Nipah infection dying without responding to treatment. Kerala continues to report outbreaks regularly since then. What renders even a single case of significant concern to get the entire health-care machinery in a tizzy? Nipah is a transmissible viral infection with a high mortality rate, ranging between 40% and 75%, which implies that if the infection spreads, then, a number of people are likely to die. Future research might add an effective tool to the armamentarium to effectively treat Nipah infections without mortality, but as of now, the course of action is vested only in prevention and awareness generation. Nipah is transmitted by fruit bats which are the natural reservoirs of the virus. It is suspected that consuming contaminated fruits, bitten or licked by bats, may play a role in spreading the virus. It is also equally important to cast a watchful eye on climate change-related factors, particularly anthropogenic activity that is destroying natural habitats, and initiate a robust One Health programme that will weigh not just Nipah but also other pathogens that are capable of zoonotic spillover, transitioning from animals to humans and causing great harm.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Nipah: 461 on contact list, 27 high-risk
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Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Kerala Nipah virus: After death in Malappuram, patient critical in Palakkad; officials on alert
The condition of a Nipah virus-infected patient reported in north Kerala's Palakkad continued to remain critical, with state health minister Veena George saying that all possible treatment is being provided. A three-kilometre radius around the patient's house has been declared a containment zone,(PTI) The 38-year-old woman, a native of Thachanattukara, is undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College in Kozhikode, news agency PTI reported. Concerns over the woman's critical condition were raised as a Malappuram native succumbed to the virus last week. The health minister said that the woman has been given monoclonal antibody treatment according to the protocol, with the second dose administered on Monday morning. "This is the first Nipah case reported in Palakkad. The patient's condition remains critical, but all available treatment is being provided," the minister told reporters after the meeting. George said that a total of 173 contacts related to the woman have been identified, of whom 100 were primary and 73 secondary. Among them 52 are considered high-risk and 48 are low-risk, she added. ALSO READ | Two suspected Nipah virus cases flagged Kerala, three districts on alert Five samples have tested negative so far, and four more will be tested at the Manjeri Medical College on Monday. Meanwhile, a three-kilometre radius around the patient's house has been declared a containment zone, with strict surveillance being carried out by the district police chief and district collector. After chairing a high-level review meeting at the Palakkad Medical College, which was also attended by the district collector, police chief, and senior health officials, the minister warned of strict action against those spreading false information related to the virus outbreak. On Saturday, the death of an 18-year-old girl was confirmed to have Nipah infection. The patient from Malappuram's Chettiyarangadi succumbed after receiving treatment at a private hospital in Kozhikode. Initial tests suggested Nipah and the infection was subsequently confirmed by Pune's National Institute of Virology (NIV). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted from animals to people, and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from one person to another. The virus causes a range of illnesses in infected people, from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. Nipah can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.
