Girl dies from 'brain swelling' virus as health officials rush to contain disease
A teenage girl has died from a "brain swelling" virus - causing health officials to rush to contain the disease.
The 18-year-old was rushed to hospital after testing positive for Nipah Virus - a highly contagious, lethal disease. It is carried by fruit bats and passed on to humans through their droppings and saliva.
It is part of the same family as measles and spreads easily between people. The girl died in hospital on July 1 from the virus.
As reported in the Mirror, authorities are desperately trying to trace hundreds of potential contacts, with some already in intensive care. There are 12 currently receiving treatment - with five in intensive care - while dozens more are awaiting their results.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it takes between four and fourteen days for people who come into contact with the virus to display symptoms. In rarer circumstances, it can take up to 45 days.
Symptoms can range from a headache to fever, sickness, dizziness, or confusion.
Kerala's health minister, Veena George, does not believe there is evidence of human-to-human transmission as the family lived 50 miles apart in Kerala, South India.
Speaking to The Telegraph, he said: 'No human-to-human transmission has been confirmed. It could definitely be two separate spillover events.'
According to WHO, Nipah is a virus with the potential of a pandemic. This is due to the virus being able to transmit from animals to humans and has a fatality rate as high as 75 per cent. Patients who survive the virus are left with long-term neurological conditions.
It comes as the University of Oxford is currently conducting phase one testing on its Nipah jab following promising early results. It is the first UK academic institution to gain access to the European Medicines Agency's Prime scheme.
Oxford stated that the additional support provided by Prime "has been granted on the basis of compelling preclinical data and preliminary clinical evidence, and will help to accelerate the development and regulatory approval" of the vaccine.
In its letter of confirmation to Oxford investigators, the EMA said: "Nipah virus disease in humans is associated with significant morbidity and a high mortality rate and consequent public health impact."
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Meanwhile, people who do not empty bottles, flower pots or other receptacles with standing water - which can attract mozzies - have been slapped with fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) and have their electricity cut off. No deaths from the virus have been reported but at least 12 other cities in Guangdong have reported infections. At least 3,000 cases were detected over the past week, bringing the total to over 10,000 in the country. It comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned last month that chickungunya could soon affect billions across the globe - as it tears through parts of the Indian Ocean and edges closer to Europe. The health watchdog said it was seeing the same warning signs as in the last major outbreak two decades ago, when nearly half a million were infected worldwide. "We are seeing history repeating itself," said Dr Diana Rojas Alvarez, WHO's technical lead on the virus. Chikungunya is spread by infected mosquitoes and causes symptoms such as sudden high fever, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue, rash, and headaches. Most people recover in a couple of weeks, but some people - especially older adults - may suffer from long-lasting arthritis-like joint pain. Dr César López-Camacho, from the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford, said: "Although chikungunya rarely causes death, it can be extremely uncomfortable and disabling. "The most vulnerable include the elderly, newborns, and people with underlying health conditions." 6 6 6 Chinese health authorities say cases are dropping off slowly, but Dr López-Camacho warned it is likely that chickunguya infections will continue to be reported for the next few weeks. He described the situation as a "significant outbreak". "With over 7,000 confirmed cases reported in Guangdong Province, this is the largest chikungunya outbreak ever documented in China. 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Newborns infected either during delivery or by mosquito bites shortly after birth, and older adults with underlying health conditions are at higher risk of severe disease. In such cases, hospitalisation may be necessary due to the risk of organ damage and even death. 'What makes this event notable is that chikungunya has never been established in mainland China before. "This suggests that most of the population had no pre-existing immunity, making it easier for the virus to spread quickly." Outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases tend to happen "in populations that are 'naive' to the virus, meaning people have not been previously exposed and are not protected", Dr López-Camacho. Authorities in China have deployed a series of preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus, spraying clouds of disinfectant around city streets, residential areas, construction sites and even sending out drones to hunt down insect breeding grounds. Heavy rains and high temperatures have worsened the situation in China. Chikungunya causes regular outbreaks in Africa, Asia and the Americas, and has also been spotted in Europe. As of July, there have been about 240,000 cases of chikungunya, including 90 deaths in 16 countries, according to the European Centres for Disease Prevention and Control. The countries that reported the highest number of infections were Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Peru. How concerning is this outbreak? Though tactics adopted by authorities in China hark back to lockdown measures five years ago, chikungunya "does not pose the same level of pandemic threat as a virus like COVID-19", according to Prof Tom Solomon, director of The Pandemic Institute in Liverpool. Dr López-Camacho added: 'It is extremely unlikely to cause a pandemic in the traditional sense, as chikungunya does not spread from person to person. "However, it can cause large regional outbreaks, especially when introduced to mosquito-rich, low-immunity settings, like what we are probably seeing in China." The risk to the UK from this outbreak is "currently low" as Aedes mosquitoes, which tend to carry the virus, aren't widespread here. "But we do need to watch closely, as climate change and global travel are expanding the range of these mosquitoes, and with it, the viruses they carry," Dr López-Camacho warned. 'It is also important that genetic sequencing of the virus in this outbreak is carried out. "In past outbreaks, mutations have helped chikungunya adapt to new mosquito species. "If the virus has changed, we need to ensure current vaccines still offer protection." Brits travelling to China amidst the outbreak should "be cautious", the disease expert said. "The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 travel alert, recommending travellers use insect repellent, wear long sleeves, and stay in screened or air-conditioned accommodation. "Travellers returning from affected areas who develop fever and joint pain should seek medical attention and mention their recent travel." People travelling to high-risk areas where outbreaks of the virus often occur can get vaccinated against chikungunya at a travel clinic. But Prof Solomon noted: "There have been reports of serious side effects in people over the age of 65. "As such, the vaccine is currently recommended for travellers under 65 visiting high-risk areas."
