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Earlier this month, two health workers at a private hospital at Barasat in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal had tested positive for Nipah virus
Nipah virus: Amid concerns over a possible Nipah virus threat, bats at Kolkata's Alipore Zoo are undergoing RT-PCR testing to rule out infection, a senior official of the state Forest department said on Saturday.
A team from the National Institute of Medical Research collected blood and swab samples from the bats over two days—Thursday and Friday—and left the zoo after completing the testing process, news wire PTI reported, citing the official.
How does Nipah virus spread?
People can get infected with Nipah virus if they come in close contact with body fluids of an infected person, or via direct contact with infected animals – like bats or pigs, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are believed to be the natural host of the Nipah virus, as per the WHO.
Consuming food or drinks, like fruit or raw date palm sap, that are soiled by infected animals, can also cause Nipah virus infection.
A person may become infected by drinking raw date palm sap or eating fruit that is contaminated by an infected bat. This initial spread from an animal to a person is known as a spillover event.
Nipah virus symptoms
Nipah virus infection can range from mild illness to severe, life-threatening disease. In serious cases, it can lead to swelling of the brain (encephalitis) and even death.
Early symptoms
The incubation period for Nipah virus is 4 to 14 days but an incubation period as long as 45 days has been reported, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO). This means that people infected with Nipah usually develop symptoms within 4 to 14 days of exposure.
Early signs often include:
– Fever
– Headache
– Cough
– Sore throat
– Difficulty breathing
Severe symptoms
In severe cases, people may experience brain swelling or encephalitis, where symptoms include:
– Confusion
– Extreme drowsiness
– Seizures
People with such symptoms can also slip into a coma within 24 to 48 hours after neurological symptoms appear, mentioned CDC.
Precautions to take
Caregivers and healthcare workers treating Nipah patients face a higher risk of infection.
People living in or travelling to areas where Nipah outbreaks have occurred can take the following precautions:
– Wash hands frequently with soap and water
– Avoid contact with bats, especially flying foxes, and sick pigs
– Stay away from areas where bats roost
– Do not touch objects or surfaces that may be contaminated by bats
– Avoid consuming raw date palm sap
– Avoid eating fruits that may have been bitten or soiled by bats
– Avoid direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected individuals
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