Five cases of the Nipah virus have been confirmed in India’s eastern state of West Bengal. Doctors and nurses are also among those infected. According to local media reports, the condition of one patient is critical.
According to a foreign news agency, authorities said that the affected individuals are being treated in hospitals in Kolkata and nearby areas, while around 100 people have been placed in home quarantine as a precautionary measure. The health department has further tightened surveillance to closely monitor the situation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the Nipah virus as a high-risk pathogen. Experts say the virus is usually transmitted from bats to humans, most commonly through fruits. Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment available for this virus.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the initial symptoms of the Nipah virus are common, including fever, headache, and weakness, which can make early diagnosis difficult. The incubation period of the virus can range from four to twenty one days.
