Nipah virus: Steps on to detect source

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the detection of confirmed cases of Nipha virus in Kozhikode and Malappuram, health experts have stepped up activities to detect the source. Several possibilities are being looked into including transmission through bats, human to human, wild migratory birds, hooded vultures and pigs. Experts say the possibility of migrant workers transmitting the diseases looks unlikely at this stage.

Considering the extremely unhygienic and insanitary conditions in which most migrant workers are living in the state, in the event of one of them contracting the virus it would spread like wild fire. But the cases reported till date have been few and far between. Meanwhile, central animal husbandry department experts visiting the affected areas said that the remains of the bat found in a well were being examined in the laboratory and the report was expected by Friday.

However, a section of doctors say that the bat found in the well was Insectivorous and these are not to be carrying NiV virus. In epidemiological investigations carried out in Bangladesh, it was found that there were two ways the NiV virus could get transmitted from bats to human being. One was through fresh dates palm sap and the second was through domestic animals who feed on the bat eaten infected fruits.  

The doctors engaged in Nipah affected areas said the first priority was to prevent human to human transmission. There is a strong possibility of Nipha cases increasing in the coming days because the incubation period of the virus is four to 18 days. The first case was admitted to hospital on May 3 and the confirmation was on May 20. During this intervening period of 17 days many people might have come into contact with the infected persons. The next step should be to identify such persons and see if they have reported any suspected symptoms.