New Delhi

The re-emergence of Nipah virus cases in southern India's Kerala state has sparked a wave of public health precautions in the region. So far two people have succumbed to the illness caused by the virus, with six confirmed cases at the time of filing this report. 

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Nipah (NiV) is a zoonotic virus. That is, it is a virus that can be transmitted from animals to humans. 

Evidence cited in medical journals shows that fruit bats and pigs host the virus which can lead to serious illness in both animals and humans. 

Since its sudden onset transitions into complications such as encephalitis -- a deadly infection of the brain -- death can occur in up to 75 per cent of the patients, according to the World Health Organization. 

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What happens to a person with Nipah virus?

In all the outbreaks of Nipah virus so far, since it was first reported in Malaysia in 1998, patients develop a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms.

They include fever, headache, respiratory difficulties, convulsions, coughing, and vomiting.

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Also read | Explained | Deadly Nipah virus strikes India; symptoms, and more, here's all you need to know

Additionally, if the virus is not detected early, then further complications such as respiratory infections and atypical pneumonia may develop. 

These symptoms can progress quite rapidly, within just 24 to 48 hours, and further lead to coma and eventually death.

Can Nipah virus be treated?

There is no cure or vaccine to treat the Nipah virus yet. However, it emerged on September 16 that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is ramping up its efforts to develop a potential vaccine.

Treatments, therefore, are limited to symptomatic and furthermore supportive care to treat the signs and symptoms of the illness. If further complications are seen, consideration needs to be taken to treat possible cases of encephalitis which can be transmitted from one person to another. Therefore, it’s important to implement standard infection control practices to limit transferal.

So what is the way forward to treat Nipah virus?

India has reached out to Australia seeking to restock monoclonal antibody doses to treat the cases of the viral disease. It is expecting 20 more doses soon, according to Dr Rajiv Bahl, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

But the monoclonal antibody doses have not been tested for their efficacy but only the safety, Dr Vivek Nangia, Chief of Pulmonology at Max Hospital in New Delhi told WION. 

Also watch | Gravitas | Another deadly bat virus is here: Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala, should you be scared?

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"M102.4 is the name of this monoclonal antibody," specified Dr Nangia in a conversation with WION. 

Why is Kerala vulnerable to the spread of Nipah virus?

Kerala is a tropical state with simultaneous deforestation and rapid urbanisation. Its mountain forests and wooded hillocks, that are prime bat habitat, have been progressively cleared to make way for human use. The drive for resources is destroying the habitat of bats – which carry tens of thousands of viruses – and creating conditions ripe for a bat-borne disease to spill over to humanity.

In Kerala, humans and animals — such as bats that can carry the virus — have closer contact. It is also home to more than 40 species of bats.

This is its fourth such outbreak since 2018. Last three outbreaks were contained through a mix of measures such as treatment towards symptoms and contact tracing to the last person concerned.

How to prevent the spread of Nipah virus?

Dr Vivek Nangia pointed out that since the virus is known to transmit from bats and stray animals, one must avoid coming in contact with stray animals. 

As a matter of precaution, he recommended avoiding the consumption of Raw Date Palm Sap on which bats are known to inhabitate.

Hailing, the 'war-footing' effort by the state government of Kerala, Dr Nangia said: "They are doing a very good job. They have traced all the contacts of the 5-6 patients." 

"The only problem is that the incubation period of this virus is 4-14 days but could extend well up to 45 days," Dr Nangia cautioned.

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