Nipah virus alert: a more lethal threat than COVID-19

More than 22 years ago, the Nipah virus emerged, which threatens world health current due to regrowth alert. This disease is considered much more dangerous than COVID-19, even more deadly than Ebola. Failure to receive care within 48 hours of experiencing the first symptoms can lead to coma.

The first time this virus was observed was in 1998 in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia, hence its name. But in order to differentiate it from other ills, the world's health authorities specifically assigned the acronym NIV.

The NIV has already claimed lives

According to research, NIV can be transmitted through the animal's fluids to humans. And then spread from person to person in a short period of time.

Kerala, India is the region of highest alert, at least 18 people have died from this disease in recent years. A report from The New York Times published In 2018, it indicated that the outbreak of that same year spread massively throughout the country. The cause is because a large number of workers interact in the areas where the fruit bat flies in search of palm sap and where it usually excretes.

A more deadly danger than other viruses

The WHO foresees that this respiratory affection can cause higher mortality than that caused by the coronavirus.

Almost 8 million people have carried the disease Covid-19 Until now. And some 435 thousand have died from complications that originate around it. Figures that reveal a percentage lower than 30% of deaths in positive cases.

For his part, Ebola, has a death rate of 50% of those who acquire this condition. But NIV exceeds both, with a mortality figure of 75% of infected people.

Virus symptoms

The main grievance of this condition is related to a respiratory complication and brain inflammation. In general, the time it takes for the NIV to incubate is one to two weeks and then show the following signs to those who have acquired it.

• Dizziness
• Severe headaches
• Fevers
• Confusion
• Sickness

Once 48 hours have passed since they became a carrier of the virus and they do not receive timely medical attention, the affected person usually enters a coma. Those who manage to survive have sequelae of seizures after many years of suffering from the disease.

Other more severe complications are petechial hemorrhages and encephalitis. The outbreaks of this disease have been presented for several years annually and so far it has not been possible to develop a vaccine or prevent its transmission.

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