Ministry of Health and Population Warns on Nipah Virus
The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has urged people across the country to remain vigilant against Nipah virus infection. The ministry has urged people to be vigilant as this type of virus can be spread in Nepal as well.
Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel, spokesperson at the MoHP, said that people have been asked to remain vigilant as the border with India is open and this new virus could spread in Nepal as well. The Indian state of Kerala has recorded Nipah virus infection a few days ago.
According to Dr Poudel, no one has been found infected with the virus in Nepal so far. Nipah virus is a serious viral disease that is transmitted from animals to humans. The virus is found naturally in the skin of a species called ‘foot bat’.
Nipah Virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person to person, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
As the WHO says there is no treatment or vaccine available for either people or animals. The primary treatment for humans is supportive care. It can be passed on to humans from contaminated food and directly from human-to-human.
Similarly, Nipah virus can be transmitted through the use of fruits in contact with infected animals, even in direct contact with the blood, feces and urine of an infected person.
Fever, dizziness, headache, muscle pain, nausea, breathing complication and tonsillitis are the symptoms of NIV infection and its infection rate is relatively high.
To avoid Nipah virus, people should eat only after washing fruits thoroughly, cook vegetables as much as possible, keep cattle sheds and farms clean, use gloves and masks when cutting and cooking meat, drink only boiled water whenever possible, wash hands with soap and water from time to time and wear a mask when in crowd.
As the Ministry said, the fatality rate of NIV is 45 to 75 per cent. The WHO recognizes NIV-caused illness as one of 10 deadly diseases in the world. The Ministry has urged one and all to promptly seek medical intervention in case of having the above-mentioned symptoms.
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