Nipah: Karnataka sounds alert after man infected with virus in Kerala
Bengaluru: Days after a 23-year-old student was diagnosed with the potentially deadly Nipah virus in Kerala, the Karnataka government has sounded alert in eight districts, including those on the borders of the neighbouring state.
The condition of the college student, diagnosed with Nipah infection, is stable, hospital authorities said. A total of 314 persons who were in touch with the infected person have been kept under observation, officials said.
Following the Nipah outbreak report, the Health Department in Karnataka issued a circular asking administration in Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts to immediately convene inter-departmental coordination committee meetings, including veterinary department, Indian Medical Association and Indian Academy of Pediatrics.
Authorities in these eight districts have been directed to identify two isolation beds to quarantine suspected human cases. They have been asked to keep all the logistics available at all levels, read the circular.
The department has also asked district authorities to direct government and private hospitals to keep an eye on suspected cases.
Once a patient shows symptoms of Nipah, the hospitals have to monitor acute encephalitis syndrome, check all vital parameters and take travel history of patients.
The district hospitals should have an ICU with ventilator facilities and capacity to receive emergency cases, it read. The department asked the districts to furnish daily outbreak report regarding Nipah virus. It also directed authorities to sensitise health assistants and ASHA workers.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus is a newly emerging disease that can be transmitted from its reservoir (natural wildlife host), flying foxes (fruit bats), to both animals and humans.
Symptoms range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection and encephalitis. Infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting and sore throat.
This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis.
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Yadgir: Six people burnt alive in private bus-car collision on Bidar-Bengaluru Highway in Surapura
Surapura: In a tragic road accident reported from the taluk, six people were burnt alive in a collision between a private bus and a car on the Bidar-Bengaluru Highway near the Shanthapura Cross close to the Thinthani Bridge on Friday morning.
A fire broke out due to the force of the collision, and both vehicles were gutted in the flames.
The bus is learned to have been traveling from Lingasugur to Kalaburagi, and the car was going towards Lingasugur. While none of the passengers in the bus was reportedly endangered in the accident, all six people traveling the car died in the accident and are learned to have burnt in the fire.
The local fire brigade has successfully doused the flames.
Inspector Umesh M and team of the Surapura Police Station is learned to have arrived at the accident spot and conducted an inspection.
The skulls of four people are said to have been found among the debris.
