WHO issues statement on Nipah virus

The WHO announced that it is closely monitoring two Nipah virus cases detected in India's West Bengal state. While the organization assesses the risk to be low based on current information, it also provided a reminder regarding the virus's transmission routes and characteristics.

WHO: RISK IS LOW

Anais Legand from the WHO stated that two Nipah virus cases were confirmed in India's West Bengal state on January 26, and that no further cases have been reported. Noting that the two patients are receiving supportive care at a health facility, Legand stated that India is implementing outbreak control measures. "Based on current information, the risk at the national, regional, and global levels is assessed as low," Legand said.

CAN BE TRANSMITTED BY BATS

Legand explained that the virus is typically transmitted through direct contact with infected fruit bats or animals such as pigs, or through the consumption of contaminated food. She added that it can also be transmitted directly between humans under certain conditions. "(Nipah virus) was first reported in 1998, and since then, a limited number of cases have been reported in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore," she stated.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VIRUS

It was reported that the average incubation period of the virus is between 3 and 14 days, and the mortality rate of the disease is estimated to be between 40 and 75 percent. Legand noted that it is too early to say whether the virus is more pathogenic than in previous outbreaks, and that the WHO is awaiting genetic sequencing data from India to assess potential mutations.