Nipah alert sounded for districts bordering Bengal

Bhubaneswar: After the detection of Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, Odisha govt on Friday instructed all border districts to remain alert, immediately trace and report suspicious cases, and maintain adequate medicines, PPE kits and medical equipment in hospitals.Health minister Mukesh Mahaling, after reviewing Nipah virus situation here on Friday, said there will be emphasis on creating awareness among people. The meeting held comprehensive discussions on the current situation, precautionary measures, disease surveillance, sample testing, isolation and treatment facilities.“Currently, no suspected Nipah virus case has been detected. The state govt is taking complete precaution and the situation is being closely monitored.

The health and family welfare department is fully prepared to tackle the virus,” said Mahaling. He requested the general public not to panic. “We have kept eye on the situation and taking necessary steps regarding this,” he added.The high-level review meeting, which was held on the Nipah virus-related situation and preventive preparedness in the state, was attended by health secretary Aswathi S, director of public health Nilakantha Mishra, director of health services Pradeep Kumar Guru, and director of medical education and training Santosh Kumar Mishra.

Health and family welfare department sources said Nipah virus, a contagious virus, spreads from animals to humans. It spreads after contact with infected bats or pigs and their fluids, eating contaminated food (raw date palm sap, fruit), and person-to-person spread via close contact and body fluids or respiratory droplets, especially in families and healthcare settings.The viral disease has symptoms like fever, headache, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulty, and vomiting.

It can progress to encephalitis with drowsiness, confusion, seizures, and coma within 24 to 48 hours.Official sources said the mortality rate in this viral disease is very high. No licensed treatment exists for Nipah virus infection. People should follow hand hygiene, avoid sick bats or pigs and bat roosts, and avoid raw date palm sap and potentially contaminated fruit.