Nipah virus Outbreak: Bangladesh reports highest deaths in 7 years: IEDCR
More about Nipah virus infection:
This year in Bangladesh, the Nipah
virus has claimed the lives of ten individuals, marking the highest death toll
from the infection in seven years. With 71% death rate, Nipah is deadliest
infectious disease in Bangladesh.
HIGHLIGHTS
Nipah virus has claimed the lives of ten individuals this year
An additional 14 people have been diagnosed with the virus
Narsingdi recorded this year's first Nipah virus patient
For the
first time this year, the virus has been detected in breast milk
Usually
more than 70% of infected people die who being infected with the Nipah virus.
To prevent the spread of the virus, she advised against consuming raw
date palm sap and not eating half-eaten fruits left exposed in the open.
To prevent Nipah virus, raw date juice should not be consumed under any
circumstances.
Date juice, marketed online with enticing labels like "safe"
and "boiled," is contributing to the spread of Nipah virus cases
throughout the country.
However, date juice can be consumed after making it into jaggery.
In addition to date juice, this virus can also spread through various
fruits.
We must wash fruits and vegetables that we eat unpeeled, such as
tomatoes, plums, guavas, and strawberries, with soap.
Fruits that we peel, on the other hand, should be washed well with
water. Fruits that have been eaten by bats should not be eaten.
During the winter, a festivity surrounding date juice contributes to the spread of a deadly disease across the country.
“Consuming contaminated raw date
palm sap can also lead to the transmission of this virus. Infected individuals
can transmit the virus to members of their families or healthcare
workers," said Professor Tahmina Shirin, director at the IEDCR.
People who drink raw date juice and
fruits partially eaten by birds, especially bats, have the possibility of being
infected with the virus.
Besides, healthy people who come in
contact with the infected ones also have the possibility of being infected with
the virus and it spreads from person to person quickly which is a matter of
concern.
Doctors Liked to Read More
What is Nipah virus?
The 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 Organization
(WHO).
How is the virus transmitted?
Nipah virus is commonly found in
fruit bats (Pteropodidae), which feed on nectar and pollen. Nipah virus spreads
through bat secretions or saliva. However, there are indications that both
humans and animals can get infected by coming in contact with the contaminated
saliva and urine of fruit bats.
What are the symptoms?
According
to IEDCR, infected people initially develop symptoms such as fever, headaches,
myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat.
An
undetected patient can fall into a coma within 24 to 48 hours of contracting
the virus.
According
to Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), severe symptoms may include
disorientation, drowsiness, or confusion, seizures, coma and brain swelling
(encephalitis).
Why is the virus so dangerous?
The Nipah virus aggressively
inflames the brain. The US Centers for Disease Control cites an incubation
period of five days to two weeks.
Initial symptoms resemble those of the
flu: fever, nausea and severe headache. Some patients experience respiratory
problems. Later, disorientation, dizziness and confusion follow.
Within one to two days, patients
can slip into a coma and die. The mortality rate for Nipah disease is
70%.
Prevention
There is no vaccine available
against the Nipah virus yet. So, as winter approaches, scientists every year
issue cautions and recommends preventive measures for people to stay safe from
the infection.
Some general measures to stay safe from the disease are:
1. Practice hand washing regularly with soap and water
2. Avoid contact with bats
3. Avoid areas where bats are known to roost
4. Avoid eating or drinking products that could be contaminated
by bats, such as raw date palm sap, raw fruit, or fruit that is found on the
ground
5. Avoid contact with the blood or body fluids of any person
known to be infected with NiV
How can the disease be treated?
There is no vaccination or
medication against the Nipah virus — neither for animals nor for humans.
Medications have so far only been able to alleviate the symptoms.
In principle, patients must be
immediately isolated and taken to an intensive care unit where vital body
functions can be supported.
Contact persons or suspected cases
must be quarantined to stop the spread of the infectious disease.
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