Could Nipah, The Deadly Virus Affecting India, Repeat Covid-19 History?

Health authorities across the world are keeping an eye on India due to the deadly virus that has recently caused outbreaks. However, could Costa Rica be in danger as it was with Covid-19?

To answer this question, we spoke with epidemiologists Juan José Romero, Yayo Vicente and former Health Minister Dr. María Luisa Ávila spoken.

But before we delve into it, let’s know a little more about this deadly disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah’s mortality rate varies between 40 and 75% of cases.

The WHO website says the infection may have no symptoms or may cause breathing problems or inflammation of the brain.

Infected people show flu-like symptoms: including fever, headache and muscle aches, vomiting and a sore throat.

In severe cases, people can go into a coma within 24 to 48 hours.

It is assumed that the incubation period is between four and 14 days. However, incubation periods of up to 45 days have been recorded.

This is a disease that can only be transmitted from animals to humans.

In Malaysia and Singapore, where cases were recorded, they were due to direct contact with sick pigs.

Outbreaks have also occurred in Bangladesh and India, and it is believed that this may have been due to consumption of fruit contaminated with urine or saliva from infected bats.

Although many fear that the disease will have the same impact as Covid-19 around the world, Romero assures that although it is not impossible to reach Costa Rica due to the nature of the transmission, it is difficult to bring it out of control advised, as happened with the coronavirus.

“The outbreaks of this virus have been very concentrated, it has not spread to other places, this is because the virus is transmitted mainly from animals to people… Transmission between people is quite inefficient and that has contributed to the possibility of large epidemics “or even pandemics, currently the probability is considered low, but that does not mean it is impossible,” explained the expert.

For her part, María Luisa Ávila says that so far this virus has caused outbreaks in countries with limited resources and that it has therefore not received the attention it deserves.

“Unfortunately, history shows us that a virus is only given importance when it can affect developed countries.

“As far as the pandemic potential this potentially has, it depends a lot on whether or not the virus adapts to humans. Unfortunately, the mortality rate for people who suffer from it is very high. “We have to sleep with one eye open and follow the pulse to see what impact this could have on our countries and in our particular case on Costa Rica,” said the former head of state.

For his part, Vicente agrees with Ávila that we must be very attentive to the development of this disease.

“You always have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Nipah can perfectly bring us back to our knees, just like Covid there are no vaccines or treatments. In Costa Rica we neglect ourselves, almost the entire world adopts the idea that “new” viruses do not arise from nothing.

“Indian health authorities are struggling to contain the disease, with 70% of those falling ill there ending up in cemeteries. “So they are closing schools and offices in the most affected areas and increasing support for their veterinary services and medical care centers,” he explained.

The Ministry of Health reported on Friday, September 22, that there are already records of human-to-human transmission of the virus, so there is a risk of major outbreaks, including a pandemic. Given this risk, Costa Rican health authorities have already begun monitoring the disease.

The first Nipah epidemic was recorded in 1998 after the virus spread among pig farmers in Malaysia. The virus is named after the city in this Southeast Asian country where it was discovered.

Epidemics of this virus are rare, but Nipah has been listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the diseases requiring priority investigation, along with Ebola, Zika and Covid-19, due to its potential to cause an outbreak. Pandemic.