EXPEDITIOUS RESPONSE TO EPIDEMICS: THE CHRONICLE OF NIPAH IN KERALA

Abstract

Kerala witnessed a catastrophic outbreak of the Nipah virus (NiV) in May 2018, with a fatality rate of 40-75 per cent. The Nipah virus is recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a significant public health concern, and it's one among the priority diseases for accelerated R&D due to the severe lack of available countermeasures against it. There is no vaccine or cure for the infection. The state of Kerala showed an exemplary response to the outbreak. This involved rapid and effective dissemination of necessary precautions to the broader public. Internet social media played a crucial role in spreading these messages. Although the disease claimed 21 lives, it could have been a lot worse if the state had not taken the measures for proper mitigation. This work gives a brief overview of the Nipah virus, followed by a comprehensive outline of the Kerala outbreak. Community and individual responses to the Nipah outbreak have been analysed to illustrate how various groups and individuals, from health care and tourism departments to religious leaders, played a role in successfully eradicating the virus. Kerala's experience in containing epidemics is expected to become a reference point for other states and regions that may find similar situations.