Nepal Alerted the World against possible Spread of Nipah Virus From India

Nepal Government on Monday sounded an alert against the possible spread of Nipah virus, found in their neighboring country at India.

Early this month, a 12-year-old boy in Kerala died to the infection, the first such incident three years after it wreaked havoc in parts of Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of the state.

Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population has urged the general public to remain alert to the possible risk of Nipah Virus (NIV) infection after its outbreak was reported in India.

Health Ministry spokesperson Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel said in a press statement on Monday that the risk of the virus outbreak and spread in Nepal could not be ruled out as Nepal and India share open borders.

“The infection of the deadly NIV, which is transmitted to humans from animals and then human- to human, causing a serious illness, has now been detected in the Kerala State of India.”

Though the virus has so far been not detected in the country, the risk remains large, pointed out Poudel adding the fruit bat is the natural host of the virus and it is transmitted to pigs, cattle and then to humans.