Vietnam reports no Nipah virus cases, heightens surveillance after India outbreak

The ministry said the Nipah virus is classified as a Group A infectious disease, capable of spreading from animals to humans or through contaminated objects and food.

Among hospitalized patients, the fatality rate is estimated at 40-75 percent, underscoring the pathogen's high lethality.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, Nipah is a zoonotic virus that can spread from infected animals such as fruit bats or pigs, through contaminated food, or via direct human-to-human contact.

A representative of the Vietnam Administration of Disease Prevention under the health ministry told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that Vietnam is closely tracking the outbreak in India and other countries in the region, while also monitoring updates from the World Health Organization to guide appropriate response measures.

“As soon as new information becomes available, we will issue recommendations and necessary quarantine measures,” the official said.

The latest Nipah outbreak in India has forced hundreds of people into isolation and prompted countries across the region to raise alert levels.

Thailand has already implemented health screening at airports for passengers arriving from affected areas, reflecting concerns over cross-border transmission.

Health experts warned that vigilance should not be limited to India alone.

Tran Dac Phu, former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, now known as the Vietnam Administration of Disease Prevention, said the Nipah virus is an especially dangerous pathogen that requires strict surveillance.

“The most alarming feature of the Nipah virus is its extremely high fatality rate,” Phu said.

“Patients often experience fever, severe infection, respiratory failure and, in particular, encephalitis, which carries a very high risk of death.”

Assessing the risk to Vietnam, Phu pointed to two key factors, including international travel from affected areas and the presence of fruit bats across Asia.

Although Vietnam has not recorded any Nipah cases, he stressed the importance of monitoring both human and animal populations.

First identified during an outbreak in Malaysia in 1998-99, the virus has since appeared sporadically in South and Southeast Asia.

The first known outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore caused 105 deaths, including 96 in Malaysia and nine in Singapore.

India’s current outbreak is the fourth in Kerala within five years, with the previous one reported in 2021.

The current episode in India is particularly concerning due to infections occurring within healthcare settings, with transmission to medical workers during patient care.

This highlights the virus’s ability to spread in hospitals if infection control measures are inadequate.

Symptoms usually appear four to 14 days after exposure and range from mild to severe.

Early signs include fever and headache, often accompanied by respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore throat, and shortness of breath.

In severe cases, encephalitis may develop rapidly, leading to confusion, coma, and death within 24-48 hours.

Health authorities advise the public to avoid contact with bats and sick animals, ensure food hygiene, wash hands with soap, wear masks when appropriate, and seek medical care immediately if symptoms appear after potential exposure.