Kerala is facing its fourth outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus since 2018, with two people having died and three more testing positive for the virus. It is spread through contact with bodily fluids of infected bats, pigs, or humans, and there is currently no approved vaccine for it, with a mortality rate of up to 75%.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Arcturus variant of the virus, which is 1.2 times more infectious than the Delta variant, has reached India and is causing havoc in 22 countries. It has been found in California, the United States, Singapore, Australia, Washington, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Texas, but the highest number of cases have been reported in India.
The Arcturus variant has caused a 13-fold increase in the number of infections in India in the past month. Maria Van Kerkhove, the Covid Technical Lead at WHO, said in March 2023 that the XBB.1.16 variant has an additional mutation in its spike protein that can increase infectivity and disease severity, making it the fastest-spreading variant so far.
The state government has implemented containment zones and imposed restrictions to curb the virus’s spread, and 700 individuals who had contact with the infected patients are being monitored. Symptoms of the Arcturus variant include high fever, cough, itching in the eyes, sticky eyes, and red eyes, as well as conjunctivitis, a type of infectious eye disease.
In order to avoid the Arcturus variant, people should wear masks, maintain social distancing, wash their hands regularly, get vaccinated, and avoid public gatherings. If anyone experiences symptoms, they should first isolate themselves and then get tested for Covid.
Sources: Aaj Tak and NBT नवभारत टाइम्स (Navbharat Times).
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