A 14-year-old boy has died from a bat virus that causes brain swelling and has been dubbed the “next pandemic threat”.
Sixty more people in Kerela, India are now being classified as “high risk” after potentially coming into contact with the Nipah virus.
The boy went into cardiac arrest after contracting the virus that can cause a deadly fever that causes brain swelling.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus transmitted from animals such as fruit bats and pigs to humans.
Listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “priority pathogen” with pandemic potential, it can quickly attack the respiratory and central nervous systems.
In a statement released on Saturday, Kerala health minister Veena George said the government has issued orders to identify and isolate the affected people.
Dr Anoop Kumar, director of critical care medicine at Aster MIMS Hospital in Calicut, said a positive case of Nipah was diagnosed in a student and people in close contact with him were being monitored.
“There is a minimal probability of a Nipah virus outbreak at this stage,” he said, adding that the situation will be monitored over the next seven to 10 days.
There are 214 people in the boy’s contact list, the statement said.
Among them, 60 are in the high-risk category – meaning they are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill if they contract the disease, compared to the majority.
The affected patient’s family members were kept at a local hospital for observation and others who might be at risk were asked to self-isolate at home.
DEADER THAN COVID
The virus – which inspired the blockbuster film Contagion, about a global pandemic – has a mortality rate of up to 75%.
Of those who survive, about 20% are left with long-term neurological problems, including personality changes or seizure disorders.
For comparison, estimates based on the John Hopkins University panel suggest that the mortality rate from Covid is just over 1%.
Scientists previously told The Sun that Nipah could “absolutely be the cause of a new pandemic”.
The US considers the virus a Category C bioterrorism threatas “it could be designed for mass dissemination in the future”.
There is no medicine or vaccine available to treat Nipah.
The virus predominantly affects Bangladesh, where outbreaks occur almost every year.
Parts of Kerala in southern India are considered to be at the highest global risk for the virus.
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An investigation published by Reuters last year, external found that Kerala, which is a tropical state and is witnessing rapid urbanization and rapid tree loss, has created “ideal conditions for the emergence of a virus like Nipah.”
Experts say that due to habitat loss, animals live closer to humans and this helps the virus move from animals to humans.
The state government recently announced that it was creating an action plan to prevent a Nipah outbreak.
Last year, authorities in Kerala state closed schools and offices after confirming five cases.
What is Nipah virus?
Nipah is a serious and sometimes deadly viral disease
It is carried by fruit bats which can be transmitted to people.
Some patients have no symptoms, while others have severe inflammation of the brain.
Symptoms include fever and headache followed by drowsiness and mental confusion.
About half of patients with neurological symptoms also had difficulty breathing.
How does it spread
- Nipah virus can be transmitted from bats to humans through contact with secretions from infected bats – for example, by consuming raw date palm sap
- The virus can also spread to domestic animals, particularly pigs, and cause illness in these populations.
- NiV can also be transmitted through close contact with infected patients
How to prevent
- Avoid contact with bats, infected pigs, and raw food products that may have been contaminated
How is it treated
Treatment is currently limited to supportive care.
A vaccine has been developed to protect horses and this holds promise for future protection against henipaviruses in humans.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
