India has issued a national alert as they continue to battle an outbreak of the Nipah virus. Health officials are working hard to stop the spread, although there are fears of transmission due to the virus having a fatality rate as high as 75%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The state of Kerala, located in southern India, has tested around 800 people in the past few days.
Two adults and one child have been hospitalized after receiving positive diagnoses.
Veena George, a health minister from the state said they are currently “in a stage of hypervigilance and detection”.
To assess the situation, samples of bat urine, animal droppings and half-eaten fruit have been taken from where the first victim lived.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe Nipah virus as zoonotic – meaning it can be transmitted between animals and humans – with fruit bats being its primary carriers in nature.
It also states that pigs can get infected with this virus which can cause mild to severe illness or death if not treated properly.
Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness and neurological signs indicating encephalitis (swelling of the brain).
Severe cases may lead to coma within 24-48 hours.
Transmission occurs through direct contact with infected animals or humans or food products contaminated by them.
Treatment involves supportive care such as rest and hydration however there is no specific treatment for this virus yet according to CDC guidelines.
A series of outbreaks in both India and Bangladesh have killed 62 people back in 2001 while 21 people were killed due to another outbreak in 2018 at Kerala itself according to Reuters news agency reports.
WHO estimates 40%-75% mortality rate depending on local capabilities for epidemiological surveillance and clinical management but this varies from outbreak to outbreak.
Public offices and government buildings have been shut down along with religious institutions at certain parts of the region while authorities continue their efforts towards containing further spread of this deadly disease.
