Deadly Nipah Virus Outbreak in India: Cases, Transmission, and Treatment Options

Author: DW Indonesia

NEW DELHI, KOMPAS.com – The Nipah virus has spread again in the state of Kerala, India. At least two people have died from this deadly virus infection.

A total of five people tested positive for Nipah infection, more than 700 were recorded as people who had contact with sufferers and 77 people were declared to be in the high risk category.

The Nipah virus outbreak in 2018 claimed ten lives in the Indian state of Kerala, including a 31-year-old nurse who was treating infected patients.

Also read: Nipah Virus is More Deadly than Covid-19, India Beware of the Outbreak

The trigger is thought to be drinking water from a well contaminated with the carcasses of fruit bats.

The Nipah virus aggressively attacks and triggers brain inflammation. The infection can cause brain inflammation called encephalitis.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the incubation period ranges from five to 14 days, with the first signs of infection appearing after three to 14 days.

Early symptoms include fever, vomiting and severe headache. Some patients experience acute respiratory syndrome.

These initial symptoms are followed by disorientation, drowsiness, and mental confusion. Within one to two days the illness can cause coma and death. The Nipah virus has a death or fatality rate of up to 70 percent

The Nipah virus is a newly emerging disease that can be transmitted from its host fruit bats to other animals and humans.

The name of the virus is taken from Sungai Nipah, the village in Malaysia where the virus was first identified in 1998.

A viral outbreak in pigs which then infected humans, caused around 300 people to be infected and more than 100 people to die within one year.

In an effort to stop the outbreak, millions of pigs were culled, causing tremendous losses for Malaysia at the time.

Also read: India Continues to Investigate the Origin of the Deadly Nipah Virus

How the Nipah virus is transmitted

The recent outbreak shows that the Nipah virus is transmitted through direct contact with infected humans or livestock, such as cows, pigs and cows. The virus is also spread through consumption of contaminated fruit.

In 2004, an outbreak of the Nipah virus in Bangladesh occurred because people drank sap from date palm trees.

Research into this outbreak revealed that the fruit on the trees had been contaminated with bat saliva and urine.

The outbreak in Kerala is thought to have been caused by a dead bat found in a well in a family’s home in Changaroth village.

The infection reportedly spread among family members and was transmitted to others who came into contact with the infected family member.

Existing treatment options

Until now, there is no vaccine that can fight the Nipah virus, either in humans or animals.

The only medical treatment is supportive and intensive care. Infected people are put into quarantine to prevent the spread of the disease.

Because this disease can be transmitted from person to person, routine infection control protocols are now in place.

Also read: Is the Nipah Virus Dangerous?

This article was published on DW Indonesia with the title Virus Outbreak Kills Nipah in India.

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2023-09-19 15:22:00
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