Kerala: Health dept on high alert after 6 deaths due to 'NIPAH VIRUS'

The death of three people of a family here in the past two weeks, reportedly due to 'Nipah' virus, has put the Kerala state health department on high alert.

State Health Minister K K Shylaja said the nature of the virus was yet to be ascertained.

"The kind of virus that caused the disease has not been ascertained. Blood and other samples of the deceased have been sent to the National Virology Institute, Pune. The results will be made available in a few days", she told reporters here after chairing a meet of top health department officials.