West Nile Virus in Kerala
The West Nile Virus (WNV) has sparked a high alert in Kerala, India, with recent reports of twelve confirmed and four suspected cases. This mosquito-borne illness, primarily transmitted by the Culex mosquito from infected birds, was first identified in India in 1952. There is no vaccine for WNV, which can cause symptoms ranging from mild fever and headaches to severe neurological issues like encephalitis and meningitis. Preventative measures focus on reducing mosquito exposure. The virus, part of the Flavivirus family and first discovered in Uganda in 1937, poses an ongoing public health threat.
