Open AccessEXPEDITIOUS RESPONSE TO EPIDEMICS: THE CHRONICLE OF NIPAH IN KERALA
Author(s) -
Ashique Vadakkuveettil,
Amit Grover,
Rohini Me
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of global resources
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2455-2445
pISSN - 2395-3160
DOI - 10.46587/jgr.2022.v08i01.015
Subject(s) - outbreak , case fatality rate , public health , pandemic , covid-19 , medicine , disease , attack rate , socioeconomics , environmental health , virology , population , infectious disease (medical specialty) , sociology , nursing , pathology
Kerala witnessed a catastrophic outbreak of theNipah virus (NiV) in May 2018, with a fatality rate of 40-75 percent. The Nipah virus is recognised by the World HealthOrganization (WHO) as a significant public health concern,and it's one among the priority diseases for accelerated R&Ddue to the severe lack of available countermeasures againstit. There is no vaccine or cure for the infection. The state ofKerala showed an exemplary response to the outbreak. Thisinvolved rapid and effective dissemination of necessaryprecautions to the broader public. Internet social media playeda crucial role in spreading these messages. Although thedisease claimed 21 lives, it could have been a lot worse if thestate had not taken the measures for proper mitigation. Thiswork gives a brief overview of the Nipah virus, followed by acomprehensive outline of the Kerala outbreak. Community andindividual responses to the Nipah outbreak have beenanalysed to illustrate how various groups and individuals, fromhealth care and tourism departments to religious leaders,played a role in successfully eradicating the virus. Kerala'sexperience in containing epidemics is expected to become areference point for other states and regions that may findsimilar situations.