Jaipur Issues Health Advisory for Nipah Virus, Highlights Preventive Measures

Jaipur: Following the second death in Kerala due to Nipah Virus, the Jaipur Health Department has issued a health advisory, for both the medical professionals and the general public; however, this is a precautionary advisory as no cases of the virus have been found in Rajasthan yet.

Jaipur Issues Health Advisory for Nipah Virus

A precautionary health advisory has been issued by the health department in Jaipur, for Nipah Virus; as of now, no cases have been reported in Rajasthan . Apart from highlighting preventive measures for the general public, the advisory aims at raising awareness amid the healthcare professionals and make them alert and prepared for the possible cases.

Nipah Virus Health Advisory for Healthcare Professionals

The health advisory is addressed to the government and private medical colleges, chief medical health officers and principal medical officers of hospitals. It brings the professionals' attention to the importance of remaining vigilant and observing precautions against any suspected cases of Nipah Virus.

The advisory mentions how Nipah Virus can lead to diseases both mild and severe which include encephalitis and death. Vigilance is a must for all the professionals, especially with patients who have had a travel history and are showing symptoms that resemble those of Nipah Virus.

Jaipur Health Advisory for Nipah Virus: Precautions for Public

The advisory has also highlighted the precautions that must be taken by the general public, to avoid catching the Nipah Virus infection. The advisory says, “washing hands with soap and water after coming in contact with a sick person or animal. Avoid consuming raw date palm sap of toddy, consume only washed fruits, avoid consuming half eaten fruits from the ground, avoid entering into abandoned wells, handling of dead bodies (animal) should be done in accordance with the govt advisory.”

What is Nipah Virus, How Does it Spread?

According to World Health Organisation, Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers. Although the Nipah virus has caused only a few known outbreaks in Asia, it infects a wide range of animals and causes severe disease and death in people, making it a public health concern.

Unlike COVID-19, Nipah is not a fast-spreading disease. However, the high mortality rate of the virus makes it more dangerous. According to the WHO, human infections during the first-ever Nipah outbreak in 1999 in Malaysia were “caused by direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues. Transmission is thought to have occurred via unprotected exposure to secretions from the pigs, or unprotected contact with the tissue of a sick animal". Later, the WHO informed that fruit bats are the natural hosts of the virus.

Nipah Virus Symptoms

As per the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention), the symptoms of the Nipah virus become prominent between 3-14 days when fever and headache become common.Respiratory swelling, cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing accompany the cold and the fever. The most lethal symptom of the Nipah virus is brain swelling. Other severe symptoms include disorientation, drowsiness, confusion, coma and seizures. The lethality of the virus is between 40-75%.