NIPAH SURVIVORS IN KERALA ENDURE A SILENT STRUGGLE

KOZHIKODE: The world celebrated a remarkable victory when people in Kozhikode, Ernakulam, and Malappuram districts survived the deadly Nipah virus outbreak in the past few years. At the same time, the lingering impact on their lifestyles remains largely unspoken.

Among the survivors is a young man who continues to battle the aftereffects of the virus, having been left in a coma after the initial ordeal. Despite overcoming the virus, his life has been irrevocably altered. Similarly, others who survived the Nipah virus face periodic health concerns.

“A mysterious illness causing fevers and headaches and leading to the rapid development of acute encephalitis has definitely come with several side effects, but they vary from person to person who survived this deadly virus,” said Dr Arun Raveendran, an infectious disease specialist with a private hospital.

Two survivors in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts have come back with periodic health concerns, including severe headaches during their post-Nipah survival period.

“Long-term side effects in survivors of Nipah virus infection include persistent convulsions and personality changes. Interestingly, dormant or latent infections, leading to symptoms or death, have also been reported months and even years after exposure,” Dr Arun pointed out.

One survivor from the 2023 outbreak in Kozhikode started experiencing personality changes and is continuing therapy and counselling from a private hospital.

“But such cases go untold as we were already in the ecstasy of having brought people back to life after battling the deadly virus,” he added.

A young man’s battle

Tito Joseph, a 24-year-old from Mardala in Mangaluru, is a living example of the unexpected twists of life during the post-Nipah survival period. Tito has been in the same hospital bed for eight months, unable to drink water on his own or recognise his mother.

After completing his nursing studies, Tito joined a hospital in Kozhikode on April 23, 2023. In late August, a patient at the hospital died of a fever later confirmed as Nipah.

Tito contracted the virus while tending to that patient. After completing his quarantine in November, he returned home, only to start experiencing headache and other discomfort the following day. Undeterred, he went back to work in Kozhikode.

In December, after suffering severe headache, tests at the Pune Virology Institute confirmed Tito had developed Nipah encephalitis, a latent form of the disease. He began treatment at the same hospital where he worked.

Unfortunately, Tito fell into a coma. Now, he is fed through a stomach tube and breathes with the help of a tube attached to his throat. His mother Lizi Eliamma and brother Shijo Thomas have left their jobs to stay by his side in Kozhikode.

“According to doctors treating Tito, this is the first case in the country of a Nipah survivor falling into a coma,” Shijo told TNIE.

During the one month Tito was admitted to the hospital after being confirmed with Nipah, he had managed that whole period alone, without any support, Shijo pointed out.

“He did not experience any serious health concerns then, except for a high temperature that was reported twice. Hence, our family was relaxed. But the post-Nipah period completely changed our life. For the past eight months, we have been living in the hope of seeing him returning to life,” he said.

Silent struggles of survivors

A Nipah survivor from Kozhikode, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “I am still battling severe headache and muscle weakness or pain, which the doctors at Kozhikode MCH said are side effects of the virus. They have put me under medication, which is helpful during those nights of pain.”

Since 2018, a total of 27 cases have been reported in the state, with 20 deaths, including one in 2024.

Two confirmed patients survived in 2018. In the Ernakulam outbreak of May-June 2019, one patient was confirmed to have contracted Nipah but the health department managed to check further spread. Between September 12 and 15 in 2023, Kerala reported six confirmed cases of Nipah, including two deaths.

The battle against Nipah is not just about survival but also about dealing with its long-term effects. The stories of survivors like Tito highlight the need for ongoing medical support and attention to the silent struggles they face every day.

2024-07-27T01:55:19Z dg43tfdfdgfd