Be vigilant about the spread of the Nipah virus.

SGGP 21/09/2023 06:33

According to the Hindustan Times, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that 36 samples collected from bats in Kerala have tested negative for the Nipah virus. This is the area where the dangerous Nipah virus has been outbreaks for over a week.

Medical personnel in India take samples from bats.

To date, Kerala has reported six cases of Nipah virus infection, including two deaths and four cases currently under treatment. In the past 24 hours, Kerala has reported no new cases, with dozens of tests from high-risk individuals showing negative results. These results suggest the threat of the virus has diminished. However, Kerala state authorities remain vigilant against a potential outbreak of this virus strain.

According to the head of health in Kerala, Veena George, nine states (including Kerala) are currently at high risk of Nipah virus infection. Six cases of Nipah virus infection in Kerala have been identified as the Indian genotype, or genotype I, similar to the strain found in Bangladesh. There are two strains of Nipah virus, one from Malaysia and one from Bangladesh.

To date, there is no vaccine or cure for Nipah virus infection. The disease has a mortality rate of approximately 70%. Scientists at the National Institute of Virology in India first identified the Nipah virus in bats in Maharashtra state. This virus is commonly found in bats and rats and is listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the world's most dangerous viruses.

Previously, India recorded four outbreaks of Nipah virus in 2018 and 2019 in Kerala, and in 2001 and 2007 in West Bengal. Nipah virus also broke out in 1998 in Malaysia and Singapore, claiming the lives of over 100 people and infecting nearly 300. Since then, Nipah virus has spread, with mortality rates ranging from 72% to 86%. WHO data shows that between 1998 and 2015, over 600 cases of Nipah virus infection in humans were recorded. Kerala is among the places with the highest risk of outbreaks of bat-borne viruses like Nipah globally.

The recent surge in Nipah virus infections has led the WHO to fear a potential pandemic similar to Covid-19. The WHO has listed Nipah virus among 16 priority pathogens for research and development, due to its potential to cause epidemics, alongside viruses such as Marburg and Ebola viruses, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Lassa fever.

According to scientists, the important thing is not the Nipah virus, or any other disease-causing virus, but rather people's ability to prevent and respond to it. The best way to prevent Nipah virus infection is to minimize direct contact with potentially infected animals, wash fruits and vegetables, and peel fruits before eating. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people living in areas experiencing outbreaks wash their hands frequently with soap and water and avoid contact with bodily fluids or blood from infected individuals.

According to the CDC, the Nipah virus can be transmitted directly to humans through contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats and pigs. Several other cases of transmission have been reported involving human-to-human spread. Symptoms of Nipah virus infection include fever, headache, drowsiness, disorientation, mental confusion, and coma, which can be fatal.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/canh-giac-truoc-su-lay-lan-cua-virus-nipah-post706452.html