Rajeev Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), issued a warning on Friday that the death rate in cases of Nipah virus infection is much higher than that of Covid-19 infection. According to him, the fatality rate in Nipah virus infections ranges from 40% to 70%, while it was just 2% to 3% in Covid cases.
The Centre announced its plan to purchase 20 doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia for the treatment of the Nipah virus as the number of active Nipah virus cases increased in Kerala.
The Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from person to person, through contaminated food, or straight from animal to human.
In Kerala, the virus has infected up to six people, two of whom have already died.
Rajeev Bahl stated, ‘We received some doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia in 2018’ in response to the government’s intention to purchase more antibody doses. Only 10 patients can currently receive the doses.
‘We are obtaining another twenty dosages. But the medication must be provided in the early stages of the infection,’ he said, adding that nobody in India has received the medication to date.
Only 14 individuals worldwide who were infected with the Npah virus outside of India have received the monoclonal antibody, according to the ICMR DG. The 14 patients are all still alive.
Monoclonal antibodies can only be administered as ‘compassionate use medicine,’ according to Rajev Bahl. ‘Only the phase 1 trial to demonstrate the drug’s safety was conducted outside. Trials of efficacy have not been conducted. It can only be administered as medicine for compassionate use,’ he said.
According to Rajeev Bahl, the Kerala government, medical professionals, and patient families will decide whether to employ the antibody.
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