India confirms 2 deaths from Nipah virus

By Shuriah Niazi

NEW DELHI (AA) - India on Tuesday recorded two deaths from the Nipah virus in its southern state of Kerala, where experts have been sent to analyze the situation and assist the state government.

“Two deaths were reported from Kozhikode district of the state were caused by Nipah virus,” Mansukh Mandaviya, the country’s health minister, told reporters in New Delhi.

According to the Kerala health department, two “unnatural deaths" following fever were reported from Kozhikode on Monday.

According to the health department, samples of four more people from Kerala have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing for the deadly virus.

Nipah is a viral infection which causes disease in both animals and humans. It can cause serious disease if a person comes in contact with affected animals, according to the World Health Organization.