India to procure 20 more doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia for Nipah treatment, says ICMR DG

India to procure 20 more doses of monoclonal antibody for Nipah virus treatment. ICMR DG Rajeev Bahl says mortality rate is high (40-70%) compared to Covid (2-3%). All efforts are on to contain spread in Kerala. Monoclonal antibody has been given to 14 patients outside India and all survived. Kerala govt, doctors and families must decide to use it. #Nipah #Covid #India #Kerala #MonoclonalAntibody

India will procure from Australia 20 more doses of monoclonal antibody for the treatment of Nipah virus infection, ICMR DG Rajeev Bahl said on September 15.

"We got some doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia in 2018. Currently the doses are available for only 10 patients," he said.

According to him, no one so far has been administered the medicine in India.

"Twenty more doses are being procured. But the medicine needs to be given during the early stage of the infection," he said, adding it can only given as compassionate use medicine.

Mr. Bahl also said mortality among the infected is very high in Nipah (between 40 and 70%) in Nipah compared to the mortality in COVID, which was 2-3%.

He asserted that all efforts are on to contain the spread of the virus in Kerala.

All patients are contact of an index patient, he said.