Sikkim govt issues advisory on Nipah

The Sikkim health department has issued an advisory urging the people of the state to take precaution against Nipah virus.

"Though there is minimal possibility of Nipah virus in Sikkim, but the people need to take precaution," it said in an advisory yesterday in the wake of Nipah outbreak in Kerala.

The symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, vomiting and fainting. Some may show symptoms of epilepsy. The symptoms may last 10-12 days followed by unconsciousness and death as a result of brain fever, the advisory said.

It is advised to the people that they should not eat fruits and vegetables bitten by birds, bats and animals, wash their hands properly after contacting infected person and monitor fever cases with history of travel to the affected areas i.e. Kerala.