Even as the world battles with the coronavirus pandemic and the sister variants of Omicron, some regions around the globe are seeing fresh outbreaks of new diseases that have put the health experts on alert. While these infections are relatively much local in terms of scale, the already-battered health infrastructure maybe strained in case the situation worsens. In India, Kerala is reporting two new types of diseases, one of which is endemic to the state. In the US and Canada, medical community is worried over the fresh outbreak of Hepatitis A cases in recent months. Here’s all we know about these diseases so far:
West Nile Fever: The fever has claimed one life in Thrissur district of Kerala. Local health administration is also testing two more people who had the close contact with the deceased. Officials say that they are also exploring the possibility of the victim contracting the fever from anywhere outside the state.
Last time Kerala reported a West Nile Fever death was in 2019 when a six-year-old died due to the disease. It was in 2006 when Alappuzha had a confirmed case of West Nile Fever. The West Nile Fever is caused by the RNA virus found in mosquitoes. Mosquitoes of culex species are the main carrier of this virus.
However, one should know that West Nile Fever is not air-borne like coronavirus and can’t be transmitted via a close contact with the infected person. Severe fever is the prime symptom of this disease as majority of the cases remain asymptomatic.
Tomato Flu: Primarily infecting the infants, tomato flu has infected nearly 100 children below the age of 5 in Kerala. Health officials have been able to detect and treat the patients at a fairly early stage. The flu has been named after the red blisters that appear all over body of the patient. Due to sufficient awareness, kids are being treated well within time. Researchers have not been able to find out the main reason behind the tomato flu. Neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are also on alert for possible infections.
Hepatitis A Outbreak: From Dakota, California in the US to Canada, people are reporting Hepatitis A infections. Health officials in the US are probing the possible link between strawberries and the Hepatitis A outbreak. Part of the problem is the long gestation period. It takes minimum two weeks for a person to show some symptoms. And in many cases, a patient may remain asymptomatic. Loss of appetite, yellow eyes, pain in joints are some of the major symptoms of Hepatitis A infection.