5 cases of West Nile fever confirmed in Kerala; all infected healthy

KOZHIKODE: In the northern district of Kozhikode in Kerala, health officials have confirmed five cases of West Nile fever.
The infected individuals, including children, have recovered and returned to their homes, with no new cases reported in their areas, according to a district surveillance team official.
Currently, one person is suspected of having the vector-borne infection and is receiving treatment.
As a routine procedure, samples from those who showed symptoms of the disease and received treatment were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, the official stated.
"The results came back now and indicated that they were suffering from West Nile fever. They are all better now," he said.
The Culex species of mosquitoes is responsible for spreading the West Nile fever, which was first identified in Uganda in 1937.
Kerala reported its first case of the fever in 2011, and in 2019, a six-year-old boy from Malappuram succumbed to the disease. In May 2022, a 47-year-old man from Thrissur district also died due to the fever.
According to the state health department, the West Nile virus can cause a deadly neurological disease in humans, although most infected individuals may not exhibit any symptoms. The virus is primarily transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
(With inputs from PTI)