Nipah virus outbreak in India 'definitely a concern,' Canadian scientist says
Health officials are working to treat those infected with a rare, brain-damaging virus in southern India. It is the first reported outbreak in the country.
The first death happened May 18, said a state health minister in Kerala, the state at the epicentre of the outbreak blamed for the deaths of 10, including a nurse. Three others havetested positive for the virus and seven are being tested.
Three victims, members of one family, are suspected to have been infected by bats that crowded a well near their home, a local government official said.
"It's in the southern part of India, in Kerala, where it has never been seen before," said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital who treats tropical diseases.
Much is unknown about Nipah virus and the details of this outbreak. Here are some answers.