THE NIPAH CAMPAIGN
THE NIPAH VIRUS
Information To Know
The Nipah virus was first discovered in 1999 in Malaysia within pig farmers. The Nipah Virus is a zoonotic disease passed through fruit bats to animals and humans that are common in Asia and Oceania. The mortality rate is high, and it depends on how much the area of the outbreak is capable of. It ranges from 40% - 75%. Over 300 cases in humans have occurred from this virus, and there have been more than 100 human deaths. Livestock have died from the virus, too. More than 1 million pigs have been killed because of the virus.
MORE INFORMATION
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and the first symptoms are fever, headaches, coughing, trouble breathing, sore throat, and vomiting. The incubation period is from 4-14 days, and severe symptoms include brain swelling and seizures. Long term effects of this virus could be personality changes and seizures.
SOURCES
Fruit bats are the carrier of the Nipah Virus, and it can be spread in many ways. As the habitats of fruit bats are destroyed due to deforestation and the destruction of forests for the land, fruit bats are forced to get closer to the humans or domesticated animals. Ways Nipah Virus can spread is through livestock farmers and livestock, making livestock the carriers of the virus, or through direct contamination from bats drinking palm tree sap drunk by humans or eating fruit humans eat. The virus can also spread from human to human contact.
DEFORESTATION
Effect on Nipah
Deforestation is the clearing of trees and plants in an area. This is usually done for farming land. Because of deforestation, many wild animals lose their homes, including fruit bats. This involuntarily forces fruit bats to leave their natural habitats and go to farms, villages, and towns. This leads to domesticated animals and humans coming in contact with these bats or becoming infected from the bats that carry this virus.