MP seeks Centre’s aid to curb ‘rare’ virus

Kochi: Lok Sabha MP Mullappally Ramachandran on Sunday sought the central government’s intervention to contain the outbreak of what he termed was a rare and deadly virus in parts of Kozhikode district.

In his letter to union health minister J.P. Nadda, a copy of which was made available to the media, Mr  Ramachandran said some panchayats, including Kuttiyadi and Perambra, in his Lok Sabha constituency of Vatakara were in the grip of the deadly virus.

He said some doctors have termed it as Nipah virus, while others said it was zoonotic, and that the spread is fast and fatal

“The mortality rate is reportedly 70 per cent. The spread of the disease needs to be contained,” he said in the letter.

His letter comes in the wake of the death of three people in Kozhikode district in the last fortnight reportedly due to a disease caused by the rare virus.