ILOILO City – Health experts are monitoring the rare Nipah virus currently causing an outbreak in India.
In this city, Mayor Jerry Treñas is counting on the Department of Health (DOH) to issue an advisory on this matter to prevent public panic and undue concern.
“We have not yet prepared for this. The DOH has not released an advisory,” Treñas said.
The Nipah virus, a member of the Henipavirus genus, has a concerning mortality rate of 40 to 70 percent. Currently, no vaccine exists for the virus.
“As of now, there has been only one recorded case of Henipavirus infection in the country. This case was detected in Sultan Kudarat in 2014,” the DOH reported.
On Thursday, the department also refuted “misinformation” about a Nipah virus outbreak in schools in Cagayan de Oro.
“The DOH reaffirms that there are no Nipah virus cases in the country,” the DOH-Northern Mindanao office confirmed.
The city government possesses testing facilities used during the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be converted into laboratories for urinalysis, sputum, and blood panels, among others.
“We have these testing facilities. I’ve had meetings with them (referring to the COVID-19 team) because COVID has subsided. So, we need to repurpose,” said Treñas.
Testing facility staff members have been instructed to provide the necessary requirements to operate as a clinical laboratory.
“The infrastructure is in place, so only a little repurposing might be needed. If you are a resident of the city, perhaps we can make it free. Healthcare is essential,” the mayor emphasized.
In related news, one private school in the city temporarily halted face-to-face classes after several students reported headaches. The mayor has since directed the City Health Office to determine the cause.
A DOH investigation found that cases of the Nipah virus showed symptoms after exposure to horses or their meat. Symptoms include fever, headaches with sensory changes, coughing, difficulty breathing, respiratory infections, vomiting, seizures, and in some cases, brain inflammation leading to a coma.
How does the Nipah virus spread?
Nipah typically transfers to humans from animals or through contaminated food. However, it can also transmit directly from person to person. Fruit bats are its primary carriers and are believed to be the main source of various outbreaks.
Although Nipah outbreaks are infrequent, the World Health Organization has categorized it as a disease “meriting priority research due to its potential to cause a global epidemic,” alongside diseases like Ebola, COVID-19, and Zika.
In addition to India, Nipah outbreaks have been previously reported in Malaysia, Singapore, and Bangladesh.
“The DOH continues to fortify its public health measures as part of its 8-Point Action Agenda. This strategy emphasizes disease prevention through health promotion, communication, and Infection-Prevention-Control measures to curb the spread of infections, including the Nipah Virus,” the Health department declared. (With a report from the Philippine Star)/PN
