A few important pieces of information worth remembering.
* Kozhikode is on high alert as three deaths attributed to Nipah Virus have been reported.
* An infectious disease that broke out in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and '99. It first appeared
in domestic pigs and other species of domestic animals.
* The virus gets its name from the village in Malaysia where the person from whom the virus was
first isolated succumbed to the disease.
* The disease spreads through fruit bats or 'flying foxes'. Presumably the first incidences of Nipah
virus infection occurred when pigs in Malaysian farms came in contact with the bats who'd lost
their habitat due to deforestation.
* The virus is present in bat urine and potentially, bat faeces, saliva and birthing fluids. So do not
eat the fruits left over by them.
* Symptoms.
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Drowsiness.
- Disorientation.
- Mental confusion.
- Coma and eventually,
- Death.
* No vaccine is available to fight the illness. Has a 70% mortality!
* The primary treatment is intensive supportive care.
Tailpiece.
I'd posted my thoughts on Ramesh in my post yesterday. There are two related incidents that I want to mention here.
(a) They've become a twosome.
Sometime, last year, when my brother-in-law Suresh was undergoing treatment at the Amrita
hospital, my cousin, Reshmi and Bindu had met at the hospital's entrance and I'd introduced
them to each other. Both had assured help to one another as and when it was required. Reshmi
lost Suresh a while back and Bindu has lost Ramesh now.
(b) An old association?
I remember mom telling me that soon after her marriage, they used to live in a hired house
not very far from the Ravipuram crematorium and she used to be scared when dad had his duty
at night. Was it coincidental, that her doctor, whom we used to visit quite often, had his clinic
in that area? As I spent time at the crematorium yesterday, that thought did cross my mind.
* Kozhikode is on high alert as three deaths attributed to Nipah Virus have been reported.
* An infectious disease that broke out in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and '99. It first appeared
in domestic pigs and other species of domestic animals.
* The virus gets its name from the village in Malaysia where the person from whom the virus was
first isolated succumbed to the disease.
* The disease spreads through fruit bats or 'flying foxes'. Presumably the first incidences of Nipah
virus infection occurred when pigs in Malaysian farms came in contact with the bats who'd lost
their habitat due to deforestation.
* The virus is present in bat urine and potentially, bat faeces, saliva and birthing fluids. So do not
eat the fruits left over by them.
* Symptoms.
- Fever.
- Headache.
- Drowsiness.
- Disorientation.
- Mental confusion.
- Coma and eventually,
- Death.
* No vaccine is available to fight the illness. Has a 70% mortality!
* The primary treatment is intensive supportive care.
Tailpiece.
I'd posted my thoughts on Ramesh in my post yesterday. There are two related incidents that I want to mention here.
(a) They've become a twosome.
Sometime, last year, when my brother-in-law Suresh was undergoing treatment at the Amrita
hospital, my cousin, Reshmi and Bindu had met at the hospital's entrance and I'd introduced
them to each other. Both had assured help to one another as and when it was required. Reshmi
lost Suresh a while back and Bindu has lost Ramesh now.
(b) An old association?
I remember mom telling me that soon after her marriage, they used to live in a hired house
not very far from the Ravipuram crematorium and she used to be scared when dad had his duty
at night. Was it coincidental, that her doctor, whom we used to visit quite often, had his clinic
in that area? As I spent time at the crematorium yesterday, that thought did cross my mind.
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