https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/14/india/kerala-nipah-virus-india-outbreak-intl-hnk/index.html
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/nipah-virus-amid-outbreak-india/story?id=103275709
The southern state of Kerala is currently facing an outbreak of the Nipah Virus, the Virus has been known to have a fatality rate of 40 to 70% so far more than 700 people have been reported to come into contact with the virus while many others have been tested. Symptoms of the Nipah Virus start out relatively manageable with a headache and some drowsiness, however can become more serious in a matter of days with symptoms such as a coma. The Nipah virus is relatively rare, the scary outbreak in 2018, killed 17 people and Indian authorities contained the virus in a matter of months however it still sent the southern state into panic. The virus was first discovered in the 1998-1999 outbreak in Malaysia where pig farmers contracted the virus through infected pigs and other animals. Currently treatments and vaccines have been hard to find, there are little to no treatment options for the virus while others are under development. Experts have mentioned they do not believe the virus will reach a global scale, the virus seems regional and as mentioned before, relatively rare.
Although, the outbreak should retain worldwide attention and calls of urgent research as well as development of vaccines and treatments. The outbreak may also have detrimental effects on natural habitat destruction and climate change, which could lead to more spread of the Nipah virus through human-to-human contact. Right now, India has shut down schools and office buildings in Kerala and continues efforts to contain the virus within the southern states. During the current 2023 outbreak, 5 people have been reported to be infected with the Nipah virus, two of which have passed away.
The Nipah virus is similar to Ebola, in terms of the fatality rate as well and the death tolls over the timeline of the outbreaks. With the outbreak, India is left dependent on other countries for development of treatments and vaccines, because of the reason Indian authorities are more focused on containing the virus instead of eliminating it. On a worldwide scale Nipah virus has international recognition however, as mentioned before it does not seem as if this will become another pandemic like the Coronavirus. The virus does not have a high chance of spreading human-to-human because the Indian population in Kerala are taking proactive measures to keep themselves safe, those who are infected have been tested and stay in hospitals or treatment centers while they are infected.