Kochi: The Kerala health department urged people to remain cautious after a 70-year-old man died of West Nile fever in Ernakulam district.
The deceased was identified as Muraleedharan, a native of Kadangalloor near Aluva, who died while undergoing treatment on Monday, officials said.
It was the second death due to West Nile fever reported in the district within the past week, they said.
Following the incident, the health department issued an advisory urging the public to take precautions against the mosquito-borne disease.
In a statement, the department said the disease is caused by a flavivirus commonly found in migratory birds and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.
It clarified that the disease does not spread from person to person and that preventing mosquito bites is the most effective way to avoid infection.
According to health authorities, symptoms may include fever, high body temperature, stiffness of the neck, behavioural changes, confusion, semi-consciousness, or loss of consciousness.
The statement warned that severe infection could affect the nervous system and lead to conditions such as encephalitis and meningitis.
Encephalitis is a neurological condition characterised by acute inflammation of the brain.
Meningitis is a condition in which the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord become inflamed. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, or non-infectious conditions.
People experiencing symptoms have been advised to seek immediate medical attention.
“Elderly persons, those with low immunity, individuals with underlying illnesses, pregnant women, and children have been identified as high-risk groups requiring special attention. Culex mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant and polluted water bodies, drainage channels, septic tanks, marshy areas, paddy fields, and overgrown vegetation, are the primary carriers of the disease,” the statement said.
Mosquitoes can also breed in discarded tyres, containers, and other places where water accumulates, it added.
The district medical officer urged the public to follow mosquito-control measures, including eliminating breeding sites, preventing water stagnation, covering water storage containers, cleaning tanks regularly, using mosquito nets, and installing screens on doors and windows.
People have been advised to wear light-coloured clothes that cover the arms and legs, especially during early morning and evening hours when mosquito activity is high, and to use mosquito repellents.
Authorities stressed the importance of keeping surroundings clean, removing overgrown vegetation, and carrying out source-reduction activities in areas with stagnant water.
The statement warned that failure to eliminate mosquito breeding conditions in and around homes could attract penalties under the Public Health Act.
