An outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in India's West Bengal state has sparked concern in parts of Asia, with some tightening screening measures at airports. Thailand has started screening passengers at three airports that receive flights from West Bengal. Nepal has also begun screening arrivals at Kathmandu airport and other land border points with India.
Five healthcare workers in West Bengal were infected by the virus early this month, one of whom is in a critical condition. Some 110 people who were in contact with them have been quarantined.
The virus can spread from animals to humans. It has a high death range – ranging from 40% to 75% – as there is no vaccine or medicine to treat it.
The Nipah virus can be transmitted from animals, like pigs and fruit bats, to humans. It can also spread person-to-person through contaminated food. The World Health Organization has described Nipah in its top ten priority diseases, along with pathogens like Covid-19 and Zika, because of its potential to trigger an epidemic.
The initial symptoms may include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. In some people, these may be followed by drowsiness, altered consciousness, and pneumonia. Encephalitis, a sometimes-fatal condition that causes inflammation of the brain, may occur in severe cases. To date, no drugs or vaccines have been approved to treat the disease.
The first recognized Nipah outbreak was in 1998 among pig farmers in Malaysia, spreading to neighbouring Singapore, which resulted in significant economic losses. More recently, Bangladesh has experienced multiple deadly outbreaks since 2001. In India, significant outbreaks were reported in 2001 and 2007, with the state of Kerala recognized as a Nipah hotspot in recent years.
Authorities in Thailand are "fairly confident" about guarding against an outbreak, while they have introduced health declarations for passengers from affected areas. In Nepal, screenings at the airport and border points with India are similarly underway. Taiwan has proposed to classify the Nipah virus under its Category 5 diseases, necessitating immediate reporting and control measures.
Five healthcare workers in West Bengal were infected by the virus early this month, one of whom is in a critical condition. Some 110 people who were in contact with them have been quarantined.
The virus can spread from animals to humans. It has a high death range – ranging from 40% to 75% – as there is no vaccine or medicine to treat it.
The Nipah virus can be transmitted from animals, like pigs and fruit bats, to humans. It can also spread person-to-person through contaminated food. The World Health Organization has described Nipah in its top ten priority diseases, along with pathogens like Covid-19 and Zika, because of its potential to trigger an epidemic.
The initial symptoms may include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. In some people, these may be followed by drowsiness, altered consciousness, and pneumonia. Encephalitis, a sometimes-fatal condition that causes inflammation of the brain, may occur in severe cases. To date, no drugs or vaccines have been approved to treat the disease.
The first recognized Nipah outbreak was in 1998 among pig farmers in Malaysia, spreading to neighbouring Singapore, which resulted in significant economic losses. More recently, Bangladesh has experienced multiple deadly outbreaks since 2001. In India, significant outbreaks were reported in 2001 and 2007, with the state of Kerala recognized as a Nipah hotspot in recent years.
Authorities in Thailand are "fairly confident" about guarding against an outbreak, while they have introduced health declarations for passengers from affected areas. In Nepal, screenings at the airport and border points with India are similarly underway. Taiwan has proposed to classify the Nipah virus under its Category 5 diseases, necessitating immediate reporting and control measures.
