Jharkhand on Alert: Nipah Virus Advisory Issued Amidst Bengal Cases

Ranchi: The state health department on Thursday issued an advisory, directing the districts to step up against nipah virus in the wake of two confirmed cases from Bengal. Though no confirmed case has been reported in Jharkhand so far, the movement of people from affected areas poses a potential risk, it added.Additional chief secretary of the health department, Ajoy Kumar, said, “Given the highly infectious nature of the disease and its high mortality rate, the department stressed on the need for constant surveillance, early detection, and strict preparedness.”Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease primarily transmitted from fruit bats to humans and animals. The infection can spread through consumption of fruits or raw date palm sap contaminated with bat saliva or urine, as well as through close contact with infected individuals and their bodily fluids, the department added.The advisory listed symptoms such as high fever, headache, dizziness, cough, breathing difficulty, sore throat, altered mental status, and severe neurological complications, including seizures and coma. “Patients showing severe symptoms or respiratory distress must be immediately isolated and referred for advanced medical care,” it added.“Districts are directed to strengthen screening and surveillance, particularly of individuals arriving from Nipah-affected regions to prevent and control any potential outbreak.

All suspected cases must be promptly reported to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP),” it read.The health department also mandated strict adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols in all healthcare facilities. The public were urged to maintain hand hygiene, stay away from half-eaten or fallen fruits and raw date palm sap or toddy, avoid unnecessary close contact with sick individuals, and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms appear.The Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) has kept a 22-bed isolation ward ready. The Sadar Hospital reserved six isolation beds, with plans to earmark up to 20 beds based on requirement.