Khaberni - The World Health Organization said on Friday that the likelihood of the deadly Nipah virus spreading outside India is slim, adding that the Southern Asian country has recorded two cases of the virus.
The two cases in India prompted authorities in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian countries to tighten screening measures at airports this week to prevent the spread of the infection.
The World Health Organization stated, "The organization sees the risk of infection spreading from these two cases as low," adding that India has the capacity to contain such outbreaks.
It explained, "There is no evidence yet of increased transmission from human to human," noting that it has coordinated with Indian health authorities.
However, the organization did not rule out the possibility of more infections of the virus, which spreads among bats in parts of India and neighboring Bangladesh.
The Nipah virus, carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can cause fever and encephalitis. The fatality rate ranges from 40 to 75 percent, and there is no cure for it, with several vaccines being developed but still under testing.
The virus usually transmits to humans from infected bats or contaminated fruit. It is not easily transmitted from person to person; rather, this happens in cases of prolonged contact with an infected individual.
Outbreaks are usually small and confined. Virology experts confirm that the risk to the population remains low.
The World Health Organization says the exact source of the disease is not yet entirely known. The organization classifies the Nipah virus as a priority pathogen due to the lack of licensed vaccines or treatments, high fatality rate, and fear of it mutating into a more transmittable strain.
