THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode, Kerala, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decided to procure 20 monoclonal antibodies from Australia for the treatment of the virus infection. Dr. Rajeev Bahl, the Director-General of ICMR, stated to the media that, with repeated instances of Nipah outbreaks being reported in Kerala, ICMR is also planning to initiate work on developing a vaccine against the virus.
Announcing the decision to procure 20 more monoclonal antibodies in New Delhi, concerns were expressed about the high mortality rate among those infected by Nipah. Dr. Rajeev Bahl mentioned that all updates on Nipah are being directly collected by a team of experts from the Union Health Ministry who are on the ground. The center has confirmed to fulfill all the state’s requirements.
He added that the ICMR’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune had already sent its mobile BSL-3 (Biosafety Level-3) laboratory team to Kozhikode to test the samples for the virus in the district.
Regarding ICMR’s plan to work on new vaccines, including one for Nipah, Bahl explained that the process involves seeking partners who can develop the vaccine on various platforms. He said, “Our biggest asset at the moment is that we have developed vaccines on diverse platforms during Covid, such as DNA vaccines, mRNA vaccines, adenoviral vector vaccines, protein subunit vaccines, and nasal vaccines. We can leverage these diverse platforms to develop a new vaccine against diseases like Nipah infection.”
Globally, monoclonal antibodies have been administered to 14 patients infected with the Nipah virus outside India, and all of them have survived.
ICMR’s National Institute of Virology in Pune is conducting whole-genome sequencing of the virus to determine the exact variant in circulation in Kerala.
Dr. Rajeev Bahl then urged the media to raise awareness among people, advising them not to be scared but to take precautionary measures, such as practicing social distancing in public places, using masks, and avoiding consuming raw food that could be exposed to bats. He reiterated the central government’s support for Kerala.
With the confirmation of a new Nipah case by Friday, the total number of infected individuals in the state has reached six.
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