Nipah Outbreak Makes India Worried, What are the Symptoms and How to Prevent it?

JAKARTA - India is once again on alert after a case of Nipah virus, a rare but very deadly disease. Several health workers were infected, and dozens of people had to undergo quarantine. This virus does not spread as quickly as the flu, but once it infects, the impact can be very serious. So what is Nipah virus and why is it so feared?

As reported by the Independent website, the Nipah virus is a contagious disease that comes from animals (zoonosis). Its natural carrier is the fruit-eating bat. Humans can be infected when they come into contact with infected animals, contaminated food, or from people who are already sick. What is worrying, there is no vaccine and special medicine for this virus.

Nipah infection usually starts with symptoms similar to the common flu, so it is often considered trivial.

Early symptoms include sudden high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, and extreme weakness. Some people also experience coughing, shortness of breath, to pneumonia. Symptoms can appear 4-21 days after exposure to the virus.

What makes Nipah very dangerous is its complications. This virus can cause brain inflammation (encephalitis). The symptoms are like being absent-minded or confused, severe drowsiness or decreased consciousness, seizures, to coma. Symptoms of this brain disorder can appear a few days after the fever, and often develop quickly.

Nipah virus is one of the viruses with a high death rate. In various outbreaks, 40-75% of patients die.

Even patients who survive can experience long-term effects such as repeated seizures, concentration disorders, and changes in behavior or personality.

Transmission can occur in several ways:

1. From bats to humans

- Eat fruit that has been bitten by a bat

- Drinking raw date palm juice that is contaminated

2. From animals to humans

Several outbreaks have involved pigs contracting the virus from bats, then passing it on to humans.

3. From human to human

It can happen through close contact with saliva, body fluids, to the patient's cough. The highest risk is in the patient's family and medical personnel without protection.

Unfortunately, there is no specific medicine to kill the Nipah virus. Hospital care is only supportive, for example, helping with breathing, controlling seizures, to dealing with brain swelling. Makandari itu, pencegahan jauh lebih penting daripada pengobatan.

Here are simple but important steps:

1. Be careful with food

Senaiknha do not drink raw date palm juice, wash and peel the fruit before eating, to throw away the fruit that has animal bites.

2. Be alert when in contact with animals

Use gloves when handling sick animals. Then avoid contact with infected pigs. Farms must prevent bats from approaching the barn and feed

Prevent human-to-human transmission

Avoid close contact with sick people. It is best to use masks and protectors when caring for patients and to wash your hands with soap.

Although the case is rare, Nipah virus is feared because of the high death rate, can be transmitted from animals to humans, is contagious between humans and there is no vaccine. This combination is what makes every appearance of a Nipah case immediately become the big concern of health authorities.