A New Virus Outbreak?

A New Virus Outbreak?

In this last month, over 17 people have died by eating the sap of fruits that were half eaten by bats. The cause? The Nipah virus, a virus primarily spread by bats. The virus has broken out in Kerala, India, with a mortality rate of 70%. It has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers in labs are working as fast as they can to find a vaccination, but not as fast as the virus is evolving. The transmission of the virus can be from person to person through mostly body fluids, however, transmission is not that effective. “Nipah Virus is named after the village of Kampung Sungai Nipah, in Malaysia, after pig farmers first contracted the disease during an outbreak in 1998 and 1999” (Express News UK). Since then, 600 people have contracted it and over 100 pigs had been euthanized to stop the spread.