Post by : Meena
Hassan
An alarming outbreak of the Nipah virus in West Bengal, India, has led to heightened health screening measures at airports across several Asian nations as a precaution.
Health authorities have confirmed that five healthcare workers contracted the virus earlier this month after exposure at a Kolkata-area hospital. One healthcare worker remains in critical condition, while others are receiving treatment under strict medical supervision. Approximately 110 individuals who had close contact with these workers have been identified and quarantined in efforts to prevent further transmission.
Nipah virus is a highly lethal zoonotic disease typically transmitted from animals such as fruit bats or pigs to humans. It can also spread between people through close contact or contaminated food. With a fatality rate estimated between 40% and 75%, this virus represents a significant infectious threat due to the lack of vaccines or specific treatments.
The World Health Organization has listed Nipah among its most urgent priority diseases due to its potential to cause sudden outbreaks with severe health consequences. The virus tends to have an incubation period of four to 14 days, exhibiting a variety of symptoms. Some patients may show no initial symptoms, while others develop fever, headaches, muscle aches, vomiting, and sore throat. Severe cases can result in pneumonia, altered consciousness, and encephalitis, which can be fatal.
While no cases have been reported outside of India at this time, neighboring countries are quickly implementing preventive measures. Thailand has started screening flights arriving from West Bengal at three international airports in Bangkok and Phuket. Passengers on these flights are asked to provide health declarations, and increased monitoring is being conducted at tourist hotspots, including national parks.
Disaster response in Nepal includes reinforced health checks at the international airport in Kathmandu and at several land border crossings with India. Health authorities in Taiwan also plan to classify Nipah as a "Category 5 disease," indicating that it poses a significant public health risk and necessitates immediate reporting and strict control measures.
Nipah virus outbreaks are not unfamiliar to the region. First identified during a 1998 outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia, it resulted in over 100 fatalities and the culling of more than a million pigs to halt its spread. Bangladesh has recorded recurrent outbreaks since 2001, resulting in over 100 deaths, while India has seen cases in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007, as well as in Kerala, where there have been numerous fatalities in recent years.
Health officials emphasize that while the situation is under close scrutiny, there is no cause for alarm. The public is encouraged to stay vigilant, adhere to health guidelines, report symptoms promptly, and limit unnecessary exposure as efforts to control the virus's spread continue.
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