No new Nipah virus cases in India since September 15, says WHO

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Nipah virus cases, including two deaths, in Kozhikode district in the southern state of Kerala. As of September 27, 1,288 contacts of the confirmed cases were traced, including high-risk contacts and healthcare workers, who are under quarantine and monitoring for 21 days, the WHO said as quoted by AFP. Since September 12, 387 samples have been tested, of which six cases were positive for Nipah virus infection, while all remaining samples tested negative, said the UN's health agency.

"Since September 15, no new cases have been detected," it said. It is pertinent to note that the Nipah virus has no vaccine and a fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 percent. The Nipah virus is caused by fruit bats and is potentially fatal to humans as well as animals.

The Nipah virus was first identified in 1999 during an outbreak of illness among pig farmers and others in close contact with the animals in Malaysia and Singapore. The transmission of this virus to humans can also happen from infected people through close physical contact, especially by contact with body fluids. Initial symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat.

Advanced stages can manifest as severe respiratory problems, encephalitis, seizures and even coma within 24 to 48 hours. The time between infection and symptom onset varies from four to 14 days but can extend up to 45 days. While most survivors recover fully from acute encephalitis, around 20 percent face lingering neurological issues such as seizures and personality changes.