World Health Organization spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told the Russian news agency Novosti that the Nipah virus infection, which has seen several cases in India, may not show symptoms in some instances.
The spokesperson told the agency: "Nipah virus infection in humans causes a wide range of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic infection (subclinical infection) to severe respiratory infections and fatal encephalitis
The World Health Organization had indicated that this virus is zoonotic, meaning that it is transmitted to humans from animals, but it can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. Yasarevic said: "The Nipah virus can be transmitted from person to person through close and prolonged contact with infected individuals, and in documented cases, it can be transmitted as a hospital-acquired infection."
In mid-January of this year, authorities in the Indian state of West Bengal reported several cases of Nipah virus infection among healthcare workers. The infected individuals were receiving treatment at Parasat Hospital, where they worked, and were placed in isolation and connected to ventilators. Despite Western media reports indicating an increase in the number of cases, Indian authorities have not reported any new cases of the virus.
Several Asian countries, including Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, and others, have announced enhanced health and epidemiological surveillance measures in response to these reports.
The World Health Organization classifies the Nipah virus as one of the most dangerous viruses in the world, as there is no treatment or vaccine for it. Infection with this virus causes fever and encephalopathy - damage and death of brain cells, and mortality rates from this infection range between 40 and 75%.
The virus is spread by bats and rats, and humans are usually infected by eating fruit contaminated with the saliva or fluid of an infected animal. The virus can also be transmitted to pets. However, it is rarely transmitted through the air, and transmission from person to person requires direct contact with the body fluid of an infected person.
