Nipah virus kills up to three-quarters of patients, WHO says

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that the fatality rate of the Nipah virus detected in India ranges between 40% and 75%, depending on several factors, including the specific virus strain, the effectiveness of epidemiological surveillance, and the quality of clinical care.

Speaking to Russian media, WHO spokesperson in Geneva Tarik Jašarević said the mortality rate varies significantly based on how outbreaks are monitored and treated.

WHO has stressed the importance of reducing the risk of transmission from bats to humans, as well as preventing the spread of the virus from domestic animals. The organisation noted that natural infections have previously been recorded in pigs, horses, and both domestic and wild cats.

India is currently experiencing its seventh outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus since 2001. There is no vaccine available, and five cases have so far been confirmed, with two patients reported to be in serious condition.

The virus is primarily transmitted to humans from animals, particularly bats and pigs, though human-to-human transmission is also possible.

Symptoms commonly include high fever, cough, and severe headache. Infected individuals can show a wide range of clinical signs, and in some cases may remain asymptomatic. Early symptoms may also involve muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat, which in some patients can develop into drowsiness, altered consciousness, pneumonia, and other severe complications.

Nipah was first identified in Southeast Asia following outbreaks in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999, where infections were largely associated with pig farm workers and people in close contact with livestock.

Due to its potential to trigger widespread outbreaks, the World Health Organisation has placed Nipah on its list of the top ten priority diseases, alongside pathogens such as COVID-19 and Zika.

At present, there are no approved drugs or vaccines to treat or prevent the disease.

By Tamilla Hasanova