The Nipah virus can be transmitted from animals to humans, particularly from fruit bats, which are the primary source. It can also be transmitted from human to human through close contact with bodily fluids.
Symptoms of infection include high fever, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, and acute encephalitis, which can lead to death in severe cases.
Treatment is supportive and symptom-based, and the virus has a fatality rate of 40-50%.
Dr Yong Poovorawan, a renowned virologist, warned the public about the ongoing outbreak in India, urging people to be cautious but not to panic.
He reminded everyone that Nipah virus is not a new disease—it has been around since 1998 when it first emerged in Malaysia, causing numerous fatalities.
The virus spreads from pigs that consumed fruit contaminated by infected bats, which then transmitted it to humans. The virus has sporadically appeared in South Asia but has remained rare.
To prevent infection, Dr Yong advises avoiding contact with wild animals, especially fruit bats, and avoiding consuming fruit that may have been contaminated by animal bites.