Nipah virus contained: MoS Health

Kolkata : Union Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Choubey on Saturday said no new case of Nipah virus has been reported from anywhere in the country.

Choubey, while interacting with media, said the virus is not epidemic and people should not be scared of it."There has been no new case of Nipah virus reported from anywhere in the country. The virus has been contained. This is a good sign. Nipah is not epidemic and there is nothing to be scared of," Choubey said.

As many as 16 people lost their lives in Kerala due to the outbreak of the virus in May.As a precautionary measure, colleges and other educational institutions in Kozhikode have been asked to remain closed till June 12.

Furthermore, the Kerala state health department issued an advisory for people travelling to the state, urging them to be extra cautious while visiting Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur districts.As per the World Health Organisation, Nipah virus, spread by fruit bats, causes communicable disease and is fatal for both animals and humans.

The symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, drowsiness, respiratory illness, disorientation and mental confusion, and can progress to coma within 24-48 hours.