The West Nile fever claimed the life of a 47-year-old man in Thrissur district, making him the first casualty of the year in the state, this year on Sunday, a health official aware of the matter said. First Covid-19 case of the country was also reported from the district, a China-returned medical student in 2020.
Following the development, the Kerala health department has sounded a high alert in the state.
The deceased was identified as P Joby, said a health official, adding that he was admitted to Thrissur medical college hospital two days ago in serious condition and succumbed to his disease on Sunday.
The official said he had developed high fever on May 17, following which he sought treatment at various hospitals. He was rushed to the medical college after his condition deteriorated, the official quoted above said.
Doctors said he was diagnosed with the West Nile fever only two days ago but by that time it was late.
As the south-west monsoon touched down, three days ahead of its normal date, on Sunday the state geared up to meet a host of rain- related maladies.
Thrissur district medical officer K J Reena meanwhile asked people to take precautions and observe dry days in their areas to control the mosquitoes. “The blood samples of two persons have been sent for tests,” Reena said.
{{/usCountry}}Thrissur district medical officer K J Reena meanwhile asked people to take precautions and observe dry days in their areas to control the mosquitoes. “The blood samples of two persons have been sent for tests,” Reena said.
{{/usCountry}}Pannacheri panchayat, where the diseased was staying, has declared dry days and a week-long cleaning drive. In 2019, West Nile Virus (WNV) had claimed the life a seven-year-old boy in Malappuram.
Doctors said symptoms of the WNV are similar to any other viral fever like high temperature, head ache and weakness. As the infection progresses it affects the nervous system triggering stupor, convulsion and disorientation. The bite of mosquito is the usual mode of human infection. Culex species of mosquito is the main carrier.
Experts said that the mosquitoes get infected when they feed on infected birds and the virus circulates in their blood for a long time and transmits to humans via their salivary glands when they bite them. According to the World Health Organisation, WNV was first isolated in a woman in West Nile district in Uganda in 1937 and it was found in birds in Nile delta in a big way in 1953.