New Delhi: The Nipah virus (NiV) infection has claimed at least lives of 14 lives ever since its recent outbreak in Kerala. According to the WHO, Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that is naturally transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans, although human-to-human transmission has also been documented. Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals - such as pigs fruit bats - as well as via their secretions of saliva, urine or faeces. The other mode of transmission, human-to-human, is through body secretions and respiratory secretions.
Contracting Nipah virus disease causes an upper respiratory infection, leading to fever, body ache, breathlessness, and cough. But it can lead to further complications like encephalitis, inflammation of the brain. This can result in mental confusions and deteriorate to coma. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for the disease although scientists are working to develop a Nipah vaccine. Intensive supportive care is used to treat severe respiratory and neurologic complications.
Currently, the outbreak in Kerala has so far affected mainly four districts of Kerala - Kozhikode, and its neighbouring districts of Malappuram, Kannur, and Wayanad. The Kerala government has recommended using Ribavirin, an anti-viral, as a life-saving measure, but only in proven cases. Ribavirin is not a proven treatment, however, it is approved because of a few studies that have proved the anti-viral drug's benefits. Those infected should be isolated for at least 10-15 days, till the 'virulence' of the virus settles down and our immune system also starts fighting, Vikas Maurya, Head of Department - Pulmonology, Fortis Hospital - Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi, was quoted as saying by IANS.
According to doctors, people in other states do not have much to worry, unless they need to travel to the affected areas or come in contact with a person who has contracted the virus. Simple good hygiene practices can help people avoid contracting the brain-damaging Nipah virus. Here are some tips to help you prevent or reduce your risk of getting Nipah virus infection:
- Adopt simple good hygiene practices such as frequent hand washing, especially after treating or meeting an infected person.
- Avoid eating fruits that have any paw marks on it or is contaminated. Also, avoid eating fruits that have fallen on the ground.
- Wash fruits and veggies thoroughly before consuming them so as to ensure that they do not have any trace of bat dropping or faeces in them.
- Food should be properly cooked before consuming.
- Wear gloves and other protective clothing while caring for the NiV-infected person or handling sick animals and their tissues.
- In case you are travelling to an infected area, use a general mask and maintain good hygiene.
- Close your mouth with a handkerchief while coughing or cough into your sleeve.
- Restrict mobility to and fro to the affected areas to curtail the spread of the virus up to some extent.
- If you have symptoms similar to Nipah virus, or if you have visited the affected area recently, try to visit a doctor at the earliest.
Nipah virus, first identified among pig farmers in Malaysia in 1998, also surfaced in Siliguri, West Bengal, in 2001 and again in 2007.
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