Even if Kerala continues to be under pressure from Assembly of Covid-19 cases, another public health risk has become apparent in the state. A 12 year old boy died from Get rid of the virus in the Kozhikode district of Kerala early Sunday morning.
The center immediately dispatched a team to the state to provide technical assistance, and the state’s Minister of Health Veena George said teams were already being formed to deal with the situation. “From now on there is no need to panic, but we must exercise caution,” she said.
This is not Kerala’s first encounter with the Nipah virus. In 2018, there was an outbreak of the disease in the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of the state. A a total of 17 people lost their lives in the outbreak and 18 others were also infected.
So what is the Nipah virus? How does it spread? What are its symptoms? Here’s everything you need to know about it.
WHAT IS NIPAH VIRUS?
Nipah is a zoonotic virus, which means that it spreads from animals to humans. The Nipah virus is transmitted to animals and humans by its natural host – fruit bats (fruit bats). In general, it affects animals such as pigs, dogs, and horses, among others. If it spreads among people, the Nipah virus can cause serious illness that can be fatal.
According to the World health organization, Nipah virus infects a number of animals, causing serious illness and death in humans. This makes it a public health concern.
(Photo: Getty Images)
“In infected people, it causes a range of diseases, from asymptomatic (subclinical) infections to acute respiratory illnesses and fatal encephalitis,” read their guidelines on the Nipah virus.
SYMPTOMS OF NIPAH VIRUS INFECTION
The following are the symptoms of a Nipa virus infection:
1. Brain fever
2. Fever with persistent cough and difficulty breathing
3. Acute respiratory infection (mild or severe)
4. Flu-like symptoms – fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, sore throat, dizziness, drowsiness
5. Neurological signs suggestive of encephalitis
According to the WHO, pneumonia can also occur in some cases.
“Encephalitis and seizures occur in severe cases that go into coma within 24 to 48 hours,” says the WHO guidelines.
The incubation period of the Nipah virus is on average 5-14 days. However, in some extreme cases, it can take up to 45 days, which means that one infected person has plenty of time to unknowingly infect others.
HOW IS NIPAH VIRUS DIAGNOSED?
The most important tests for diagnosing the Nipah virus are the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from body fluids and the detection of antibodies using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Other tests used include PCR and virus isolation by cell culture.
These tests are often not well suited for use in remote and rural environments, where most outbreaks occur and where containment capabilities are lacking.
HOW DOES THE NIPAH VIRUS SPREAD AMONG HUMANS?
The Nipah virus can spread among people if they come into close contact with Nipah infected people, bats or pigs. Therefore, paramedics and close relatives of infected people are at risk.
“Bat secretions laden with the virus can infect people while climbing fruit trees, eating / handling contaminated fallen fruit, or consuming raw date palm juice / juice or toddy,” according to the National Center for Disease Control guidelines on the nipah virus.
Another possible source of infection can be the bodies of people who have died as a result of the Nipah virus. The National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) advises that the bodies are handled strictly in accordance with government recommendations.
“During this emotional moment, traditional rituals and practices may need to be changed to prevent family members from exposure to the disease,” said the NCDC.
WHAT SHOULD I DO TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF NIPAH VIRUS?
In order to minimize and avoid the transmission of the Nipah virus, one should wash one’s hands regularly with soap and water, especially after contact with a potentially infected person or animal.
People should also avoid consuming raw date palm juice or toddy.
The bodies of those who lost their lives to the Nipah virus should be treated according to guidelines from health authorities. Any negligence could make the situation worse.
Fruits should only be consumed after they have been properly washed. Half-eaten fruit lying on the ground should be avoided. These fruits could have been eaten by infected animals, particularly the fruit bat, which is the main carrier of the Nipah virus.
Exercise caution when handling sick animals. When slaughtering and culling infected animals, gloves and other protective clothing should be worn and any contact with infected pigs should be avoided as far as possible.
HOW IS NIPAH VIRUS TREATED?
According to the World Health Organization, there are currently no approved drugs for treating the Nipah virus. The drug ribavirin has been shown to be effective against Nipah viruses in the laboratory. However, human studies have been inconclusive and the clinical benefit of ribavirin remains uncertain, according to the WHO.
Without an approved drug for treatment, the WHO recommends intensive supportive care to treat severe respiratory and neurological complications from Nipah infection.
Most people who survive acute encephalitis make a full recovery. However, those who survived the disease have reported long-term neurological disorders.
“About 20 percent of patients have residual neurological sequelae such as seizure disorders and personality changes. A small number of people will relapse or develop delayed encephalitis after showing signs of recovery,” the WHO said.
IS THERE A VACCINE AGAINST NIPAH VIRUS?
Likewise, there is still no vaccine against the disease. Corresponding Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, a Phase 1 clinical trial of a Nipah virus vaccine candidate (HeV-sG-V) began in February 2020 and is expected to be completed in September 2021.
Given the severity of the Nipah virus, the WHO has identified it as a “priority disease” for the WHO research and development blueprint.
WHERE ELSE DID NIPAH VIRUS SPREAD?
So far, outbreaks of the Nipah virus have been reported mainly in Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and India (West Bengal and Kerala). However, this does not mean that Nipah cannot spread to other regions. All areas inhabited by fruit bats are at risk of becoming infected with nipah.
The WHO says that fruit bats can be found from the east coast of Africa through South and Southeast Asia to Australia.
“One can assume that the Nipah virus can occur as a human pathogen anywhere in these areas of distribution. Countries with serological evidence or molecular evidence of the virus in these flying foxes are Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Taiwan and Thailand. “,” It says.
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