How Nipah virus is different from Coronavirus?

 

Currently, Kerela is batting from two different infections i.e. a gush in Coronavirus and the current outbreak of the Nipah Virus. Though both viruses may appear quite similar in nature, but different from each other in terms of ways. Recently a 12-year-old boy in the Kerela has got die due to the Nipah virus. Meanwhile, 11 people who came in contact with the Kerela’s Nipah victims have shown symptoms of the disease so, it has become the concerned topic for Health Minister, Veena George.

When it is spotted the first time?

In the year 1990, the Nipah virus was firstly marked. In 2001, it was detected in Siliguri, West Bengal in India, that time around 45 people died from the Nipah virus. However, Kerela also has reported the Nipah virus in the year 2018. But the shocking news is that the fatality rate of the Nipah virus is about 40–80 per cent while the incubation period is two weeks only.

Experts claimed that Nipah is a zoonotic infection that is transmitted between species from animals to humans. Sources of transmission are contaminated food and fruit bats. However, this virus was isolated and determined in 1999 that is named after the village in Malaysia, Sungai Nipah. People get infected by the virus which encounters several issues like fatal encephalitis (swelling of the brain) from asymptomatic infection. It is also the reason for several diseases in animals especially pigs, as resulted from substantial economic losses for the farmer. It is not an airborne infection but, is transmitted from bats and pigs. This infection is fatal not merely for humans but animals too. Initially, an outbreak occurs annually in several parts of Asia, but primarily in Bangladesh and India.

Common symptoms of Nipah virus

Infected with the Nipah virus shows similar symptoms like Covid-19 infection such as cough, sore throat, muscle pain, tiredness, drowsiness and swelling of the brain caused by headache, mental confusion, stiff neck, mental confusion, seizure and sensitivity to flashlight are the common symptoms. If the infection progresses altered consciousness and dizziness could be a sign of encephalitis. The starting of symptoms ranges from 4 to 14 days after the exposure. But currently, no vaccines are available for treating the virus.

World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 40% to 70% of Nipah virus cases are fatal than covid-19 fatality rate almost 2%.

Nipah has no cure, nor does covid

Both infections do not have any antidote in the form of treatment. Currently, no antiviral drug has been made for treating Nipah virus infection. There is limited treatment to supportive care involving hydration, rest and the treatment of symptoms as they occur, stated by the Centre for Disease Control.

RT-PCR test used to conduct for coronavirus through which our experts assure that patient suffers from corona disease. As same, monoclonal antibody therapies are currently under development to evaluate treatment for the Nipah virus infections. In other words, only the first phase of clinical trials has been completed.“India is playing a vital role in exploring the use of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment purpose” stated Union health secretory Rajesh Bhushan’s letter to the state. There is one of the most dreadful news is that Remdesivir (antiviral drug) is proved effective in nonhuman primates when given in terms of post-exposure prophylaxis or may be complementary to immunotherapeutic treatments. However, the Ribavirin drug has been used to diagnose a small number of patients with Nipah virus in the initial stage of the Malaysian NiV outbreak but still, its efficacy in people is completely uncleared.

In the year 2020, Food and Drug Administration officially permitted the antiviral drugs Remdesivir for treating covid-19. However, it is repurposed drug because except it no antiviral drug got the licence to deal with the virus. As same, Tocilizumab is another repurposed medicine that is highly used in treating patients with covid-19. Repurposing FDA approved drugs is considered one of the best tactics among others because it helps to determine rapidly deployable coronavirus treatment.

World Health Organization stated that none recommend self-medication involving antibiotics as prevention for covid-19. Currently, almost 11 more people are showing symptoms in the Kozhikode village where a boy has died.

How to prevent Nipah Virus Infection?

To avoid exposure to sick pigs and bats in areas where the virus has taken place, not drink raw date palm sap that can contaminate by the infected bat can break the chain of infection. Standard infection control practices can also assist to prevent person-to-person spreads in the hospital.

So, I request every one to take care of their health and their relatives. Create awareness in people about their health and encourages them to make the habit of exercise and add some healthy diet in their daily routine. People are still in the wrong phenomena that exercise is done by unhealthy people or who suffers from the disease. kindly try to understand one true fact that exercise helps us to keep mentally and physically fit either we have a lean body or bulky one. The physic of our body does not define that we are fit or not. But our strength, stamina and activeness all the time shows that we are fit. Try to understand this concept and starts to adopt this habit in your daily routine. It will not only boost our immune system but also helps us stay long in the race.

Do exercise!

Stay Healthy! Stay Happy!

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!😊😊😊😊