Soldier from Kerala dies of suspected Nipah virus infection in Kolkata

KOLKATA: Despite several precautionary measures taken by the Union Health Ministry and the respective state governments, a soldier died of suspected Nipah virus infection in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The soldier's death was confirmed by a Defence spokesman, according to IANS.

Soldier Seenu Prasad who is the latest one suspected to have fallen prey to the deadly Nipah Virus infection hailed from Kerala.

He was posted at the Eastern Command Headquarters at Fort William.

Prasad was admitted to the Command Hospital on May 20 and passed away on May 25, the Defence spokesman said.

Prasad had been on a month's leave to Kerala before resuming duty on May 13.

His body fluids have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune which is the only agency in the country to certify whether it was a case of Nipah virus or not.

"Till such time the report from the NIV in Pune is received it cannot be confirmed whether it was a case of Nipah virus or not," the spokesman said.

The deadly Nipah virus has so far claimed at least 14 lives, mostly in Kerala.

It has now been close to a week since the dreaded Nipah virus outbreak hit Kozhikode in north Kerala.

Nipah Virus (NiV) infection in humans has a range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Kozhikode Health Department and the state governments are maintaining a strict vigil in the wake of several deaths reportedly due to the virus. The Health Ministry has also taken several preventive steps to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

(With Agency inputs)