Nipah virus outbreak: WHO says global spread risk remains low

The World Health Organization in a recent assessment has downplayed the risk of global Nipah virus spread beyond India.

Given the low risks, the global health body does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions, because India has the capacity to contain such outbreaks.

“The WHO considers the risk of further spread of infection from these two cases is low. There is no evidence yet of increased human to human transmission,” the agency said.

Despite the assurances, several countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand have tightened airport screenings, ensuring to curb the transnational spread of virus as India confirmed infections in eastern states.

Being a zoonotic disease, Nipah virus usually spreads from animals to humans. Animals, such as pigs and fruit bats are the carrier of this deadly virus.

Person to person contamination is not reported yet and is difficult because it requires prolonged contact with an infected person.

The symptoms of catching the virus include fever and barin inflammation. It is considered one the deadliest viruses as around 40-75 percent of fatality rates are associated with the virus with no cure.

Vaccines for Nipah virus are still in the development stage. It is being classified as a priority pathogen because of lack of approved treatment, high mortality rate, and ability to mutate into a more transmissible variant.