Kozhikode: 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.

Nipah virus (NiV) infection in humans has a range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

NiV is also capable of causing disease in pigs and other domestic animals. There is no vaccine for either humans or animals. The primary treatment for human cases is intensive supportive care, the WHO says on its website.

Meanwhile, state Health Minister KK Shylaja on Sunday 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.

A district-level special task force, headed by Kozhikode District collector, UV Jose has been formed in the wake of the deaths due to this virus, official sources said.

“The Director of Health service in Kerala, Dr RL Sarita, took the decision to form the task force after the meeting. A single window system has been put in place to monitor emergency treatment to meet any eventuality,” they said.

Union Minister JP Nadda on Sunday directed the Director of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to visit Kerala's Kozhikode district to assist the state government.

A central team will be visiting the state to monitor the situation post the Union Health Minister's direction.

"Reviewed the situation of deaths related to nipah virus in Kerala with Secretary Health. I have directed Director NCDC to visit the district and initiate required steps as warranted by the protocol for the disease in consultation with state government," Nadda said in a tweet.

While a 50-year-old lady died at a private hospital Changarothu in the district on Saturday, her male relatives, aged 25 and 23, died on May 18 and May 5.

Dr Sarita told reporters that the deaths occurred due to a rare virus and that the health department has taken all preventive measures.

"We need to ascertain which type of virus caused the deaths. Many viruses are zoonotic types and some can be transmitted through bats", she said.

She said the health department has issued directions to all District Medical Officers to maintain vigil and forward information in case people with similar symptoms approach them for treatment.

"We have started special medical camps at Changarothu to avoid further spread of the disease", she added.

Earlier, Lok Sabha MP and former union minister Mullappally Ramachandran sought the central government's intervention to contain the outbreak of what he termed was a 'rare and deadly' virus in some parts of Kozhikode district.

In a letter to union health minister JP Nadda, a copy of which was made available to the press in Kochi, he said some panchayats, including Kuttiyadi and Perambra, in his Lok Sabha constituency of Vatakara, were in the grip of the "deadly virus."

He said some doctors had termed it as Nipah virus, while others said it was zoonotic and it spread fast and was fatal. "The mortality rate is reportedly 70 percent. The spread of the disease needs to be contained," he said