New cases of the Nipah virus recorded in India have sparked serious concern across the Asian region, prompting health authorities to increase surveillance measures. Operative Information Center-OMM reports that Nipah, a zoonotic virus transmitted from animals to humans, was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak in Malaysia.
Experts state that the virus is primarily transmitted through three routes:
- Direct contact with the saliva, urine, or excrement of infected bats;
- Consumption of food products (such as date palm sap) contaminated with bat body fluids;
- Human-to-human transmission resulting from close contact with infected individuals.
Symptoms of the disease typically manifest within a period of 4 days to 3 weeks. Approximately half of those infected with the Nipah virus lose their lives. In addition to pneumonia, the virus causes brain inflammation (encephalitis), which is considered the most dangerous complication. Symptoms include high fever, seizures, respiratory distress, loss of consciousness, and severe headaches.
Currently, there is no officially approved vaccine or specific treatment method for this virus. Clinical trials are ongoing for a treatment method called "m102.4" developed in Australia. While research conducted in 2020 showed promising results, more time is required before the drug can be used for mass distribution.
World Health Organization (WHO) experts note that because the human-to-human transmission capability of the Nipah virus is limited, the likelihood of it becoming a global pandemic on the scale of COVID-19 remains low. However, individuals traveling to high-risk regions are advised to seek immediate medical attention if they experience fever or related symptoms. The virus remains on the WHO R&D Blueprint list of priority diseases due to its epidemic potential and the lack of effective countermeasures.
