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Why is Nipah so deadly?

Team StoryWeavers|August 16, 2019, 11:34 IST| 12

The World Health Organisation(WHO) has declared Ebola as a global health emergency. With a fatality rate of 75 percent, Nipah outbreak in India in the last two years created a similar scare in the country. Why should we be worried about the Nipah Virus? Isn’t it just a virus? 

Let’s explore what Nipah virus is all about. 

What is Nipah Virus? 

Nipah virus (NiV) is a newly-emergent pathogen belonging to the genus Henipavirus in the family Paramyxoviridae ( a deadly combination of viruses). It is zoonotic(transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa) in nature. So far, no cure has been found, but intensive supportive care is known to be helpful.

Where was Nipah Virus first discovered?

Nipah was reported first in Malaysia in 1998. Back then, it was believed to be a disease concerned with animals, especially pigs. But in 1999, some pig farmers from Kampung Sungai Nipah area in Malaysia reported a peculiar respiratory disease in their animals. The outbreak among pigs killed over 100 people in a year. A group of scientists from the University of Malaysia found that it was a virus that was causing the ailment. They named it Nipah virus after the name of the town. 

Why should we be worried?

  1. Research suggests, in recent times, zoonotic diseases like Ebola, SARS, and Nipah are on the rise (pandemic). 
  2. These diseases are more likely to spread in biodiversity hotspots, i.e. areas where there is a variety in the species living in close proximity, especially in countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, etc.
  3. Researchers suggest that such diseases are also likely to hit areas that have gone through recent landform changes. Kerala, for example, has recently lost a lot of its forest cover to mining and urban development.
  4. Nipah virus is airborne, although human to human transmission is not very common.
  5. We don’t, yet, have a cure for it. 

How does it affect humans? 

What are the symptoms? 

Symptoms vary from headache, fever, drowsiness-all of which leads to mental confusion. These symptoms can further progress into a coma within 24 – 48 hours of the virus entering the body. Other symptoms include inflammation in the brain and respiratory illness that can be fatal.

What preventive measures can you take?

  • Wash the fruits thoroughly and peel before you eat them
  • Avoid eating any fruit that looks slightly bitten or eaten before
  • Avoid any sort of contacts with the bats
  • Educate yourself and create awareness about the risks involved

About the Author


Charu, a feminist and an accidental writer, is yet to master the art of writing about herself. Always curious to learn new stuff, she ends up spending a lot of time unlearning the incorrect lessons. She enjoys all sorts of stories – real, fictional, new, old, hers and would love hearing yours too. Feel free to ping her at storyweavers@byjus.com to share anything that you think is worth sharing.

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Comments



Desheeba

January 15, 2020

Thanks its super helpful ?


Shubham Chauhan

November 28, 2019

Nice topic


B Paul Agnes

November 23, 2019

It’s awesome and quite informative . Byjus is a good tool for knowledge ?????


Hi human shibili

September 30, 2019

Thank you BYJU’S for information about nipha virus


Ishika Yadav

August 30, 2019

This topic is very informative and I could learn a lot from this


Sakshi singh

August 24, 2019

But, how do we know that which fruit is deadly and which is not ?????


Khudeja

August 21, 2019

Thanks for sharing such a useful information about this as it has become important to know about it
I’ll share this information with my friends and family for awareness


S Sivanandini

August 20, 2019

Nice topic thankyou byjus. nice…


Kunal

August 20, 2019

Nice information regrading Nipah virus.


Gulnaaz khaja Khan pathan.

August 20, 2019

Thanks byjus it seems to be a scary disease.
Thanks for giving information about that.
Alas!?it’s incurable.thanks a lot.???


Samriddhi gaur

August 18, 2019

OMG o my god


K Lalitha dixitha

August 16, 2019

Nice topic I have learnt thank you byjus. Nice measure symptoms etc. The world health organisation has
Declead. Ebola as a global health emergency. With a fatality rate of 75 percent,Milan. Outbreak in India
In the last two years created a similar scar in the country ?????


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