EXPLAINER: What You Need To Know About ‘Nipah Virus’

A Nipah virus outbreak has been reported in West Bengal, India. As of the time of filing this report, five persons, including healthcare personnel, had contracted the Nipah virus. More than 200 people who may have been infected with the disease are being medically examined, forcing numerous Asian countries to enhance airport health checks, WITHIN NIGERIA gathered.

What is the Nipah Virus? 

It is a zoonotic viral disease that originated in fruit bats, specifically the Pteropus species. The virus, identified in Malaysia in 1999, is mostly present in Southeast Asia, specifically Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, and India.

15 things you probably did not know about Nipah Virus:

1. It was first discovered in Malaysia in 1999
2. Fruit bats are the natural hosts and reservoirs of the virus
3. Fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat are likely symptoms to show when someone’s infected
4. Symptoms like dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs will be shown by an infected person when it becomes acute
5. In severe cases, an infected person may experience respiratory problems, seizures, and coma
6. Some infected people may develop acute respiratory failure and abnormal blood pressure
7. There is no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment available
8. However, supportive care like hydration and management of symptoms like fever, vomiting, seizures, and respiratory problems, among others, can be provided
9. Avoid contact with bats and sick animals, wash fruits thoroughly, and practice good hygiene as the best preventive measures
10. It can be transmitted from animal to human through direct contact with infected animals (bats, pigs) or contaminated food
11. It can be transmitted from human to human through close contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids
12. When you consume raw date palm sap or fruits already contaminated by infected bats, you can contract the virus
13. Medical officials should use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for infected patients to avert contraction
14. Recent cases of Nipah virus outbreak have been reported in West Bengal, India
15. Health authorities in countries like India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Nepal have been managing the virus outbreak excellently through enhanced surveillance, prevention measures put in place, tightened screening at airports, and other means.