A Nasty Virus is Making Headlines: The Nipah Virus has death rate of 40-75%; transmits from animals to humans

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Plagues – A highly infectious, usually fatal, epidemic disease; a pestilence.
1. A virulent, infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis (syn. Pasteurella pestis) and is transmitted primarily by the bite of fleas from an infected rodent, especially a rat. In humans it occurs in bubonic form, marked by lymph node enlargement, and in pneumonic form, marked by infection of the lungs, and can progress to septicemia.
2. A widespread affliction or calamity seen as divine retribution.

Important Takeaways:

  • A Virus That Has A Death Rate Of 40 To 75 Percent Is Infecting And Killing People In India
  • The following comes from the official website of the World Health Organization…
    • Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.
    • Symptoms typically appear in 4-14 days following exposure to the virus. The illness initially presents as 3-14 days of fever and headache, and often includes signs of respiratory illness, such as cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. A phase of brain swelling (encephalitis) may follow, where symptoms can include drowsiness, disorientation, and mental confusion, which can rapidly progress to coma within 24-48 hours.
  • So you could potentially spread this to hundreds of other people before you even realize that you are sick.
  • In fact, the CDC says that the death rate for the Nipah virus falls within a range of 40 to 75 percent…
  • The WHO has actually identified it as a “priority pathogen”…
    • The WHO has designated Nipah a priority pathogen for urgent research and development, one of just 10 diseases the agency lists as having the potential to seed the next pandemic for which we have few to no countermeasures.
  • There is no cure for the Nipah virus, and so let us hope that this outbreak fizzles out very quickly.

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