Woman dies from ‘brain-swelling’ Nipah virus dubbed ‘next pandemic’ | World | News

A woman has died from a brain-swelling virus that kills up to 75% of people who catch it. The Nipah virus, which is spread by bats, has been dubbed as the “next pandemic threat”.

It has been confirmed that the woman, aged between 40 and 50, died in Bangladesh after a recent outbreak in India. According to the World Health Organisation, she fell in on January 21 before passing away on January 28. The woman initially developed Nipah-like symptoms, including fever, muscle cramps and a headache. Her condition then quickly deteriorated and she developed hypersalivation, disorientation and convulsions.

As reported by The Sun, a Nipah virus outbreak was confirmed in the West Bengal area of India earlier this year. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has since been monitoring the situation, advising British travellers to report symptoms upon return.

The UKHSA said last week: “The risk for tourists visiting endemic countries is very low if standard precautions are followed. The risk may be higher for those participating in local practices such as date palm sap collection and consumption.

“If you develop symptoms while overseas in an endemic area, seek advice from a health professional immediately. If you develop symptoms after returning to the UK, contact your healthcare provider and make sure to mention your recent travel history.”

Meanwhile, some Asia countries, including Thailand, introduced Covid-style airport screenings in response to the outbreak. However, WHO said the risk of international spread is low.

The woman who died in Bangladesh had reporteedly been drinking raw date palm sap. This can be contaminated by bats and is known as a source of Nipah infection.

WHO said she had come into contact with 35 people who were being monitored. The organisation confirmed that they all tested negative and no further cases had been found.

WHO includes the highly-fatal pathogen Nipah virus in its top 10 priority diseases. The list also includes Covid-19 due to its potential to trigger a pandemic.

As well as being transmitted from bats, Nipah can also spread between people through contaminated people. There are currently no vaccines to treat the disease.

Nipah, which has a fatality rate between 40% and 75%, brings a variety of symptoms, ranging from fatal brain swelling to severe respiratory issues. The initial signs include fever, headache, sore throat, vomiting, and muscle pain.

However, these can quickly progess to dizziness, seizures and drowsiness which can lead to a coma within 24 to 48 hours. The incubation period is typically 3–14 days.