MALAPPURAM: A confirmed case of
West Nile fever, a relatively unknown
viral infection in the region, was reported in the district. A seven-year-old boy from
AR Nagar, was admitted to the
Kozhikode Medical College hospital on Monday.
The health authorities in Malappuram have informed that the infection was confirmed. The patient had been under treatment for fever and he was shifted to medical college after showing symptoms of the West Nile viral infection.
Following the report of disease, the district health administration has issued special alert across the district against the disease, which typically spread by
Qulex mosquitoes.
According to the
World Health Organisation (WHO) West Nile virus is mainly transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes and it can cause a fatal neurological disease and death in people. Birds are the natural hosts of West Nile virus. Human infection is mostly often the result of bites from infected mosquitoes, which become infected when they feed on infected birds which circulate the virus in their blood for a few days, says WHO website. No human-to-human transmission of WNV through casual contact has been documented, according to WHO. Symptoms of infection includes fever, headache, tiredness, body aches, nausea, vomiting etc.
The prevalence of the virus was raised in Alappuzha and parts of Kottayam in 2006 during the outbreak of Chikungunya. A suspected case of disease was also reported in 24-year-old woman, in Kozhikode last year.
District medical officer (DMO) K Sakeena said that health authorities have initiated efforts to prevent the spread of disease, including the vector control activities. "We have issued warning to private hospitals, veterinary doctors and public health authorities. As No vaccines are available for humans, the only way to reduce infection in people is by raising awareness of the risk factors and educating people about the measures they can take to reduce exposure to the virus.", she said adding that the cleaning of drainages and water logged areas which are main breeding grounds of mosquitoes, is on. She said that community programmes also would be conducted to destroy mosquito breeding sites in residential areas.
Health authorities have already identified the presence of Qulex mosquitoes in the premises of the house of the boy who was infected, and local sanitation works are also were carried out in the region.