Telangana officials check suspect cases of Nipah Virus

With the brain-damaging Nipah virus spreading panic among the people in Telangana, officials are conducting checks to see if two people had been infected.

The Nipah virus has killed 12 people in Kerala.

While the government described the outbreak as minor, the virus has not spread beyond Kerala. Upon inspection, health officials revealed that the initial deaths took place due to a well colonized by bats whose water the victims had been using.

While the government has assured that the virus is not a major outbreak, the situation is being monitored.

Health officials in Telangana collected blood samples of two people who showed the flu-like symptoms of the virus and were sent for testing. They stated that it was done as a precautionary measure.

Spread through contact with body fluids, the virus has a mortality rate of about 70 percent.

There is no vaccine for the virus, caused by fruit bats and the only treatment is supportive care.