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Nipah amidst a pandemic

Quick development of vaccines for tropical infections is a success of the coronavirus era

India is far from being anywhere near the finish line with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, even
as fears of a Nipah virus outbreak have surfaced in Kerala with one confirmed death in Kozhikode.
While confirmed cases of the viral infection have been reported several times since 2001 in West
Bengal and Kerala, it was the outbreak in 2018, in Kozhikode, that made headlines after 17 deaths and
18 confirmed cases, underlining the high infection-associated fatality. Outbreaks fanned by exotic
viruses are not foreign to India: a glance at the weekly reports compiled by the Integrated Disease
Surveillance Programme shows the diversity of viral or bacterial outbreaks that flash by with barely a
mention, unless they threaten India’s metropolises as outbreaks of dengue, H1N1, chikungunya or
malaria sometimes do. However, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic also draws attention to significant
outbreaks that preceded it. Nipah in Kozhikode and Malappuram was the first outbreak where terms
such as ‘contact tracing’, ‘RT PCR’, ‘antigen test’, and ‘PPE kits’ became part of the ordinary discourse
in Kerala. The State’s public health system, earlier commended only for quality primary health care,
earned appreciation for its ability to establish links between the infected and their contacts and to
isolate them to prevent further spread.

There are now established protocols — at the national level — for the three key aspects of a potential
pandemic: infection control, treatment and vaccination. When a contagion hits, the world now
understands what can and cannot be controlled within each geographic region’s context. It is these
lessons from the coronavirus pandemic that must inform future outbreaks. It had become routine for
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, at intervals, to report outbreaks of ‘mystery fevers’, when they were often
easily diagnosable infections that were just a competent, accessible laboratory test away. Thus, while
there is no knowing if the latest Nipah outbreak in India will peter out like in 2019 or be worse than in
2018, India must be heartened that the potential of an outbreak evokes national concern and an
anticipatory response unlike the earlier and purely reactive approach. A standardised treatment for
Nipah continues to be elusive and a spike in cases could spell disaster given the high mortality rate.
However, some studies suggest that vaccines developed for the coronavirus, if adequately tweaked,
may prove effective against the Nipah virus too. Another potential candidate vaccine is in early
human trials. Because vaccination continues to be the best bet against the disease, the very fact that
global attention and capital no longer need to be coaxed to developing vaccines for tropical infections
is itself a key difference in how the world approaches outbreaks in the coronavirus era. [Practice Ex.]

*Red Coloring of words in the sentence indicates the Subject – verb relationship.

For Example: Outbreaks fanned by exotic viruses are not foreign to India.

Outbreak – Subject, Are – verb

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Vocabulary
1. Nipah virus (noun) – Nipah virus, scientific
name Nipah henipavirus, is a bat-borne
virus that causes Nipah virus infection in
humans and other animals, a disease with a
high mortality rate.
2. Tropical infection (noun) – viral tropical
infections include dengue, yellow fever,
rotavirus, AIDS, Ebola and Lassa fever
3. Era (noun) – age, period, time
4. Far from (phrase) – nowhere near, a long
way from , 17. Diversity (noun) – variety
5. Finish line (noun) – end point
6. With regard to (phrase) – As concerns; in
respect of.
7. Outbreak (noun) – eruption, flare-up,
upsurge
8. Surface (verb) – emerge, arise, appear,
, ,
9. headline (adjective) – Denoting a
particularly notable or important piece of
news.
10. Underline (verb) – emphasize, give
emphasis to
11. Fatality (noun) – death, casualty, mortality,
12. Fan (verb) – intensify, increase
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13. Exotic (adjective) – Originating in or
characteristic of a distant foreign country.
14. Foreign (adjective) – unfamiliar, unknown,
strange
15. Glance (at) (noun) – read quickly, scan,
have a quick look, ज
16. Compile (verb) – assemble, put together,
,
18. Flash (verb) – display, show, present
,
19. Barely (adverb) – hardly, scarcely,
,
20. Metropolis (noun) – A very large and busy
city. ग
21. Draw attention (phrase) – Take notice of
someone or something.
22. Precede (verb) – come before, go before
,
23. Discourse (noun) – discussion,
conversation, talk
24. Commend (verb) – praise, compliment
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25. Appreciation (noun) – admiration, regard, 37. Accessible (adjective) – reachable,

esteem , attainable

26. Establish (verb) – set up, start, begin 38. Away (adverb) – To or at a distance from a
particular place, person, or thing.

27. Contact (noun) – A meeting, 39. There is no knowing (phrase) – No one can
communication, or relationship with tell.
someone.
40. Peter out (phrasal verb) – disappear,
28. Isolate (verb) – separate, set apart, vanish, end , ज
segregate, ग
41. Hearten (verb) – Make more cheerful or
29. Aspect (noun) – characteristic, particular confident. ,

42. Evoke (verb) – invoke, give rise to, bring

30. Contagion (noun) – infection, disease forth , , जग
,
43. Anticipatory (adjective) – Happening,
31. Context (noun) – circumstances, conditions, performed, or felt in anticipation of
something. ,

32. At interval (phrase) – With time between; 44. Unlike (preposition) – Different from; not
not continuously. similar to. ग,

33. Mystery (adjective) – obscurity, ambiguity 45. Elusive (Adjective) –Difficult to find, catch,
, or achieve. ,

34. Often (Adverb) – frequently, many times, 46. Spike (noun) – Sudden rise

47. Spell (verb) – lead to, result in, bring about,

35. Diagnosable (adjective) – Identify the ,
nature of (an illness or other problem) by
examination of the symptoms. ग 48. Given (preposition) – considering, taking
into consideration, ,
, ( ग)

36. Competent (adjective) – capable, able,

proficient ,

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49. Mortality rate (noun) – death, loss of life, 55. The fact that (phrase) – Used to refer to a
particular situation under discussion.

56. Capital (noun) – money, finance, finances

50. Tweak (verb) – modify, alter, change
ज,
,

57. No longer (phrase) – Not now as formerly.

51. Effective (adjective) – efficacious,
औ
productive

58. Coax (verb) – To manage to get something

52. Potential (adjective) – possible, likely,
to do something, or something to happen,
prospective
by being very patient and taking great care.
53. Candidate vaccine (noun) – a manufacturer
who is in the race of development of
vaccine. 59. Approach (verb) – set about, tackle, begin

54. Bet (noun) – option, choice, alternative

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Practice Exercise
Direction (Q1 – Q3): Select the best express synonym of the given word [Editorial page]
1. Surface
A. Anecdote
B. Axiom
C. Emerge
D. Alloy
2. Fatality
A. Erudite
B. Death
C. Catharsis
D. Disinterested
3. Discourse
A. Libel
B. Lucid
C. Inert
D. Discussion
4. What is the antonym of ‘Foreign’?
A. Ostentatious
B. Machination
C. Agenda
D. Familiar
5. Phrasal verb
The Storm had petered out
A. devastating
B. Disappear
C. Hazard
D. Make damages
6. Para Jumble based on Editorial: True mettle [Answers]
P. Close on the heels of the recent Olympics there, in which India claimed
Q. India saw another fortnight of good tidings in sports from Tokyo.
R. the country’s differently-abled athletes extended this tale of excellence into the Paralympic
Games
S. an overall tally of seven medals inclusive of a lone gold
A. QPSR B. RSQP
C. QSPR D. QPRS

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Cloze test based on Editorial: Code red [Answers]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued ………7…………. its strongest
warning yet on ………8………….. catastrophe from unmitigated global warming caused by human
activity, lending scientific credence ……9………. the argument that rising wildfires, heatwaves, extreme
rainfall and floods witnessed in recent times are all strongly influenced by a changing climate. In a
………10………….. report on the physical science basis of climate change contributed for a broader
Assessment Report of the UN, the IPCC’s Working Group I has called ……11…………… deep cuts to
carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases and a move to net zero emissions, as the world
would otherwise exceed 1.5°C and 2°C of warming during the 21st century with permanent
consequences.

7. A. besides B. strike
C. Arguably D. Frailty

8. A. debilitating B. impending
C. screening D. overcoming

9. A. of B. to
C. on D. for

10. A. stark B. notch

C. mobility D. inspire

11. A. off B. in
C. for D. out

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Answers
1. C 2.B 3.D 4.D 5.B 6.A 7.C 8.B 9.B 10.A 11.C
[Practice Exercise] [Cloze test]

Explanations
6) India saw another fortnight of good tidings in sports from Tokyo. Close on the heels of the
recent Olympics there, in which India claimed an overall tally of seven medals inclusive of a
lone gold, the country’s differently-abled athletes extended this tale of excellence into the
Paralympic Games.
7) Arguably (adverb) – possibly, conceivably.
8) Impending (adjective) – imminent, about to happen ,
9) Lend credence to (phrase) – to make an opinion or idea seem more correct.
10) Stark (adjective) – clear, distinct. ,
11) Call for (phrasal verb) – require, demand. ग , ,
Explanation of other important words
Sr.NO Words Meanings
Q1 Anecdote noun A short account of a humorous or ,
revealing incident
Axiom noun A self-evident rule or truth; a widely ,
accepted saying
Alloy noun A combination of two or more things,
usually metals
Q2 Erudite adjective Scholarly; deeply learned , ,

Catharsis noun Purification that brings emotional relief ज

or renewal
Disinterested adjective Not taking sides; unbiased ,
Q3 Libel noun A written or published falsehood that
injures the reputation of, or defames,
someone
Lucid adjective Clear; easy to understand
Inert adjective Inactive; sluggish; not reacting
chemically
Q4 Ostentatious adjective Excessively conspicuous; showing off
Machination noun Scheming Activity for an evil purpose

Agenda noun Program; the thing to be done

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