UK health authorities have issued a warning following an outbreak of the Nipah virus in India, where two cases have been confirmed in West Bengal. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) stated that while the risk to the general public remains very low, travellers to affected areas should be aware of the virus.
Nipah virus can be transmitted from animals to humans, through contaminated food, or directly from person to person. The UKHSA estimates that between 40 and 75 per cent of those infected will die. Currently, there is no specific treatment for the infection.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, noted that the virus is unlikely to pose a significant risk of global spread due to low person-to-person transmission. However, he warned that the long incubation period of 4 to 21 days makes border detection difficult.
Symptoms include sudden fever, flu-like illness, pneumonia, and respiratory issues. The most serious complication is encephalitis or meningitis, which can develop three to 21 days after infection. Survivors may experience persistent seizures and personality changes.
The UKHSA advises that the risk for tourists visiting endemic countries is very low if precautions are followed. No cases of Nipah virus have ever been reported in the UK.
