High alertness against Nipah virus

Kathmandu, Jan 22: The government has implemented high alertness to prevent the entry of Nipah virus, which has spread in neighbouring West Bengal of India, to Nepal.

Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, announced that adequate measures were in place to prevent the Nipah infection from entering the country.     

He informed that government had begun checking individuals arriving in Nepal from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and border points with India. "We have specifically intensified alertness at the border points in Koshi Province. Even the health checks for the people entering Nepal were ordered at other border points," he stated.     

Spokesperson Budhathoki warned that those infected with the Nipah virus could face fatal consequences if not treated immediately. He noted that the mortality rate of Nipah virus infected ones ranges from 30 to 33 percent.     

This specific virus spreads through pigs, bats and infected humans.(RSS)