Nipah virus is a global concern right now after two cases were identified from West Bengal. The virus spreads from animals, mainly fruit bats, to humans, sometimes through contaminated food like raw date palm sap, and other times from one person to another. And once it spreads between humans, it can be deadly fast. With fatality rates hovering around 40–75%, you can see why countries get nervous whenever a case appears.So why is Nipah such a danger? Unlike many common infections, there’s no specific medicine or vaccine widely available. And the symptoms are tricky. “Nipah virus is considered highly dangerous due to its high fatality rate, which ranges from 40% to 75%. There have been cases where survivors have reported long term long-term neurological complications. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine available for Nipah virus, and medical care is largely supportive, focusing on symptom management and intensive care when required,” Dr. Ashutosh Kumar Garg, Anesthesiologist and Critical Care, Kailash Deepak Hospital told TOI Health.

“The virus doesn’t appear right away after infection. Its incubation period typically lasts between four and fourteen days. It may occasionally remain dormant for up to 45 days. This is the “silent period” which is dangerous because you might feel fine while inside your body the virus incubates. Once active, the illness often progresses in two distinct phases: the “flu-like phase” and the “severe phase”,” Dr. Bharath Kumar Surisetti, Consultant Neurologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad told TOI Health.

Nipah infection’s symptoms

“Phase 1 is referred to as the flu-like stage. An infected person can have sudden high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting and nausea. During this stage, it often gets confused as influenza or COVID 19. Then comes phase 2, which is a danger zone as it shows some neurological signs. This stage becomes distinct and dangerous. Nipah virus has strong capability to attack the brain and can cause encephalitis, i.e., inflammation of the brain. A person can get dizziness, drowsiness, one may feel excessively sleepy, they can also experience less consciousness, they might get confused about people, time or place. They may develop respiratory issues, difficulty in breathing, similar to pneumonia. An infected person in stage 2 might also have uncontrolled seizures or convulsions. In severe cases, a patient can also go into a coma, within 24 to 48 hours of the neurological symptoms starting appearing,” Dr. Bharath Kumar Surisetti explains. “It is a zoonotic virus, which can spread from animals to humans. The carriers of this virus are fruit bats or flying foxes. It can spread through direct contact with infected bats or pigs, as well as by consuming food contaminated by bats, such as partially eaten fruits or raw date palm sap, also known as toddy. It can be transmitted from human to human through close contact or exposure to body fluids,” Dr. Ashutosh Kumar Garg warned. Globally, Nipah cases have been reported in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. In India, health authorities remain on high alert whenever a case is detected. Rapid testing, isolation, and contact tracing are the main tools to stop it from spreading. Medical experts consulted This article includes expert inputs shared with TOI Health by: Dr. Ashutosh Kumar Garg, Anesthesiologist and Critical Care, Kailash Deepak HospitalDr. Bharath Kumar Surisetti, Consultant Neurologist, Yashoda Hospitals, HyderabadInputs were used to explain symptoms and preventive measures against Nipah virus infection.