Nipah Virus Fatality Rate Outpaces COVID-19, India Imports Additional Medication

Nipah Virus Fatality Rate Outpaces COVID-19: A government commission has warned that the Nipah virus has a substantially greater fatality rate than the coronavirus.

For the treatment of the Nipah virus, the government is importing an additional 20 doses of medication from Australia. In the southern state of Kerala, there has recently been a rise in Nipah virus cases.

The fatality rate of Nipah virus patients is substantially greater, ranging between 40 and 70%, in comparison to the 2-3% mortality rate of COVID-19, Dr. Rajiv Bahal, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said on Friday. The national government has announced the purchase of 20 doses of monoclonal antibodies from Australia for the treatment of Nipah virus as the number of active cases of the disease rises in Kerala.

The Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can be contracted from animals and transferred to people through contaminated food or direct contact.

Six people in Kerala have the illness, and two of them have already passed away.

Rajiv Bahal remarked, “We received some monoclonal antibody doses from Australia in 2018,” when asked about the choice to purchase further antibody doses. There are just 10 dosages available right now. Twenty additional dosages are being purchased. More dosages are being obtained, he continued, “but the drug should be given during the early stages of infection.” No one in India has yet received this drug, he said.

Only 14 Nipah virus-infected patients have received monoclonal antibodies outside of India, according to ICMR DG Bahal, and all 14 have survived.

Monoclonal antibodies can only be administered as “compassionate use drugs,” according to Bahal. “Only phase 1 trials have been carried out to establish the drug’s safety,” he said. No effectiveness trials have been carried out. It can only be administered as a drug for compassionate use.

The Kerala government, medical professionals, and patient families shall make the choice about the usage of antibodies.

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