By Zoila Palma: Health authorities are on alert after cases of the deadly Nipah virus were detected in India, prompting several countries, including Thailand and Nepal, to increase surveillance.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), two cases have been confirmed so far involving 25-year-old nurses, one woman and one man, in West Bengal.
Indian health officials have deployed an outbreak response team, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is monitoring the situation while staying in contact with local authorities. Despite the virus’s high fatality rate, experts say a global emergency is unlikely.
Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads from animals to humans, and was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak affecting pigs and people in Malaysia and Singapore.
The virus is most commonly transmitted by fruit bats and can spread through direct or indirect contact, including close contact with or exposure to the bodily fluids of an infected person.
Symptoms usually appear four to 14 days after exposure and include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, difficulty breathing and vomiting.
There are currently no specific treatments for Nipah virus, with care focused on managing symptoms through rest and fluids.
However, treatments are under development, including a monoclonal antibody that has completed phase I clinical trials and is being used on a compassionate basis, as well as studies on remdesivir, which has shown promise in nonhuman primates.
The World Health Organization urges to focus on decreasing bat access to date palm sap and other fresh food products.
WHO says that it continues to work closely with at-risk countries and partners to strengthen preparedness for and response to outbreaks of Nipah virus infection by providing technical guidance and supporting surveillance activities, clinical management, laboratory services, infection prevention and control measures, logistics, training and community engagement.
The post International News: Health experts scramble to contain outbreak of Nipah virus in India appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Health authorities are on alert after cases of the deadly Nipah virus were detected in India, prompting several countries, including Thailand and Nepal, to increase surveillance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), two cases have been confirmed so far involving 25-year-old nurses, one woman and one man, in West Bengal. Indian
The post International News: Health experts scramble to contain outbreak of Nipah virus in India appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
