In view of the reported cases of the Nipah virus in the province of South India, the National Institute of Health (NIH) has issued an advisory on the instructions of the Federal Minister for Health.
So far, no case of Nipah virus has been reported in Pakistan, said the spokesperson of the Ministry of Health.
He said that a low-risk advisory has been issued for the general public.
The spokesperson said that this virus is transmitted to humans through bats and pigs. In the past, cases of Nipah virus have been reported in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore and India.
He said that the Ministry of Health is continuously monitoring the situation. He said that the Nipah virus spreads in humans and animals alike. He said that effective steps are being taken to strengthen the border health services system.
He said that the ministry is ensuring the implementation of the recommendations of the International Health Regulations to protect the public from diseases and epidemics.
The Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak of illness among pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore.
It is able to infect humans directly through contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats and pigs, with some documented cases of transmission among humans.
Scientists suspect Nipah has existed among flying foxes for millennia and fear a mutated, highly transmissible strain will emerge from bats.
There are no vaccines to prevent or cure the infection, which has a mortality rate of between about 70%. The usual treatment is to provide supportive care.
