The Ministry of Health has stated that the risk of Nipah virus is high in Nepal and has also designated hospitals for treatment if people suspected of being infected enter Nepal.
What you should know
Following the detection of Nipah virus infection in neighboring India, the Ministry of Health and Population has adopted high alert to prevent the spread of the infection in Nepal.
The ministry has said that it has started monitoring passengers entering Nepal through all air and land borders after the Nipah virus infection was confirmed in West Bengal, India, a few weeks ago. Speaking to News Agency Nepal, ministry spokesperson Dr. Prakash Budhathoki said that health desks set up at air and land borders are monitoring passengers showing symptoms of the infection. He said that the risk of Nipah virus is high in Nepal and hospitals have been designated for treatment if a person suspected of infection enters Nepal.
Stating that Nipah virus infection spreads through bats, pigs and infected people, Spokesperson Budhathoki said, "Keeping these three things in mind, we are also spreading awareness among the citizens to quarantine people coming from places where Nipah virus infection has spread and not to come into contact with them."
Just a few days ago, the Epidemic and Disease Control Division had directed hospitals across the country to provide information about patients showing symptoms of Nipah virus and people who died from such symptoms. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), symptoms may take 3 to 14 days to develop in people infected with the Nipah virus. During this period, symptoms including fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing may occur. Some people may also develop brain swelling. In severe cases, confusion, fatigue, and seizures may also occur.
In some cases, patients may even fall into a coma for 24 to 48 hours, doctors have said. The risk of death from this disease is 40 to 70 percent, according to the WHO. Doctors say that Nipah virus, like the coronavirus, is also a zoonotic virus. However, it is much more deadly than the coronavirus. In most cases, the disease can be transmitted to humans through infected animals. The disease can also be spread by eating the meat of infected animals. The risk of this virus being transmitted from bats is higher.
Nipah virus was first identified in 1999. In Malaysia and Singapore, people who came into contact with infected pigs developed respiratory problems and brain swelling.
In West Bengal, India, in 2001, 66 people were infected with the Nipah virus. 45 people died. The epidemic recurred in 2007. This time, all five infected people died. In 2018, the virus killed 17 people in Kerala.
