Nipah Virus in Kerala, India – Unravelling the Local Outbreak and Assessing Global Threats: A Narrative Review

Abstract

The recent emergence of the Nipah virus in the same district of Kozhikode, India, following its outbreak in 2018 and 2021, has elicited heightened apprehension among the public amidst the era of COVID-19. The potential fatality associated with this virus has been effectively mitigated through mass awareness, community and healthcare involvement, and stringent implementation of preventive measures. Nevertheless, the rate of transmission has consistently escalated over a span of several years, suggesting an emerging potential for global public health implications. Although the transmission rate remains low, the elevated mortality linked to the Nipah virus constitutes a potential threat, accentuated by the absence of vaccines and dependable treatments, thereby underscoring the risk to public health and emphasising the necessity for proactive measures to protect the wellbeing of the community. This narrative review provides an overview of the Nipah outbreaks in Kerala, India, and its global impact by conducting a thorough search of databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate using the following keywords: “Nipah virus,” “Henipavirus,” and “Kerala.”