Nipah virus: Everything you need to know about the disease

Nipah virus is primarily transmitted to humans from animals such as pigs and fruit bats, either by direct contact or through their secretions.

It can incubate in the body for a period of four to 14 days.

It is highly contagious between humans and seen by the World Health Organization as a high risk for epidemics because there is no vaccine. It has a high fatality rate of 40% to 75%, far deadlier than Covid-19.

Symptoms

Symptoms highlighted include fever, headache, breathing difficulties, and drowsiness. Officials have been warned that any lapse in screening or surveillance will be treated as serious negligence.

Daily records of suspected and confirmed cases at entry points will be maintained and shared with the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

The advisory further notes that the World Health Organization (WHO) has also issued warnings regarding the Nipah virus, with suspected cases recently reported in India’s West Bengal.

Authorities stress that effective screening, timely diagnosis, and continuous surveillance are essential to prevent the virus from entering and spreading within the country.

Pakistan’s response

The federal government has issued a nationwide health alert amid fears of a possible spread of the deadly Nipah virus (NiV) to Pakistan, directing all relevant authorities to adopt strict preventive measures at the country’s entry points, ARY News reported.

Border Health Services (BHS) has circulated a detailed advisory warning that the Nipah virus is a highly dangerous zoonotic virus that can spread from animals to humans and also transmit from one person to another. The advisory notes that the virus carries a high fatality rate, making early detection