While the world has yet to fully overcome the health, economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new threat and concern has arrived: the resurgence of Nipah virus, a deadly virus that originated in Asia and is 75 Times coronavirus.
The spread of the virus in India has led to the closure of schools and offices in the southern state of Kerala. To curb the spread of the virus, authorities have followed guidelines similar to Covid-19 protocols, banning crowd gatherings.
Spread of the virus
The main concern for India, the world’s most populous country, is that the incidence of cases is rising due to the lack of a vaccine to combat the virus. The Indian government reports that two people have died from Nipah virus so far and other cases have been hospitalized.
According to the World Health Organization, Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans through animals such as bats and pigs, and can also be transmitted from person to person through contaminated food.
Infected individuals may develop a variety of clinical symptoms, ranging from asymptomatic or subclinical infection to acute respiratory tract infection and, in more severe cases, fatal encephalitis. Nipah virus can also cause serious diseases in pigs and other animals, causing huge economic losses to livestock farmers.
Symptoms of Nipah disease
Like coronavirus, Nipah virus has symptomatic and asymptomatic forms. For those who do develop symptoms, they typically experience symptoms similar to those of a common cold, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting and sore throat.
In addition to these symptoms, there are other symptoms such as dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological manifestations that are suggestive of acute encephalitis. Additionally, some people may develop SARS and severe breathing problems, such as acute difficulty breathing. In more severe cases, encephalitis and seizures may occur, and may progress to coma within 24 to 48 hours, according to information from the World Health Organization.