A woman has died from a brain-swellingvirusthat kills up to 75% of people who catch it. TheNipah 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 inBangladeshafter a recent outbreak inIndia. 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.
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As reported byThe 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, introducedCovid-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.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
