Nipah virus lurks in fruits, go easy on dates & guavas
Always ensure you thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them.
By ET Online | Updated:
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Skipping mangoes, lychees, dates and bananas can be a heartbreak this summer.
NEW DELHI: Nipah virus is back. Last week, after a 23-year-old man tested positive in Kerala, 318 people (including everyone in contact the patient) have been kept under observation, and 52 of them have been added to the high-risk category. Several states like Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and districts such as Kanyakumari, Coimbatore, Mysuru, Udupi sharing the border with Kerala are on high alert.
According to the World Health Organisation, fruit bats are the carriers of the deadly virus. The rare brain-damaging infection transmits through the partially-eaten fruits by infected bats.
Last year in May, the virus claimed 17 lives in Kerala. The fear crept in internationally as well when the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment issued a ban on imports of fruits and vegetables from Kerala.
While summer fruits are delicious and irresistible, you might want to exercise caution before indulging in them. Here are certain steps you must follow before eating mangoes, lychees and dates.
The Mighty Summer Fruits Skipping mangoes, lychees, dates and bananas can be a heartbreak this summer. But, you can still consume them considering you keep certain points in mind.
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- Prefer fresh, ripe and non-withered fruits - Avoid over-ripe and wet fruits, especially their colour appears different - Look for visible defects like cuts, dirt or deformities before eating them - Ensure the fruits don't have a strange smell - If you are buying fruits from the supermarket, don't opt for box that has damaged produce - Wash fruits and vegetables properly before eating - It would be wiser to peel fruits before consuming them
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Godly Guavas You might want to go easy on guavas this summer. While there is no confirmation yet, a young Kerala student recently claimed to have contracted the virus after eating guavas. A team of medical professionals from Thiruvananthapuram are investigating the matter.
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Fresh Produce Drinking date palm sap, palm toddy or juice can also cause the infection. For a non-vegetarian, partially-cooked meat of an infected animal can lead to the spread of the virus.
Steps to ensure you are consuming the right thing: - Avoid fruit juices unless you know the source - Avoid consuming unpasteurised fruit juices - Boil freshly collected date palm juice before consuming
Guidelines for Nipah Virus by 3M India. Signs And Symptoms The Nipah virus symptoms are flu-like, ranging from fever, headaches, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting, sore throat, dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness to severe signs like seizures and neurological indications (indicating acute encephalitis).
Other Preventive Measure - Avoid close (unprotected) physical contact with infected people - Wear NH95-grade and higher masks that protect the wearer from breathing in small particles in the air - Wash hands regularly with soap - Avoid being around animal pens - Maintain your and children's personal hygiene
Nipah Virus Symptoms: Abdominal Pain, Stiff Neck And Seizures
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People are in a state of chaos as the 'deadly' Nipah virus (NiV) is slowly gripping the nation.
On Tuesday, minutes before succumbing to the infection, a 28-year-old nurse Lini had shared an emotional letter with her husband, expressing the pain of not being able to see him one last time. She was exposed to the virus while treating affected patients in the Perambra Taluk Hospital, Kozhikode.
While the moving note broke our hearts, it's time we take this condition seriously and be extremely cautious about it.
People are in a state of chaos as the 'deadly' Nipah virus (NiV) is slowly gripping the nation.
On Tuesday, minutes before succumbing to the infection, a 28-year-old nurse Lini had shared an emotion..
Read More
NiV doesn't show any symptoms when it first infects you. However, the incubation period is between 4 and 14 days from contracting the disease to the onset of symptoms. However, 45 days of incubation have also been reported in some case.
NiV doesn't show any symptoms when it first infects you. However, the incubation period is between 4 and 14 days from contracting the disease to the onset of symptoms. However, 45 days of incubation ..
Read More
When the symptoms start showing, look out for the commons signs of influenza. The infection can start with fever, sore throat, throat irritation, throbbing headaches, abdominal pain, fainting, nausea, vomiting and pain in muscles (myalgia).
When the symptoms start showing, look out for the commons signs of influenza. The infection can start with fever, sore throat, throat irritation, throbbing headaches, abdominal pain, fainting, nausea..
Read More
The next things this virus affects is your breathing. Patients will experience mild to severe acute respiratory infection. Starting with wheezing and breathing difficulty, the symptoms lead to atypical pneumonia and other severe problems.
The next things this virus affects is your breathing. Patients will experience mild to severe acute respiratory infection. Starting with wheezing and breathing difficulty, the symptoms lead to atypic..
Read More
The next stage is fatal encephalitis. This life-threatening condition is a form of brain fever causing inflammation of tissues. Watch out for mild symptoms like fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck, exhaustion, and severe signs like high fever, confusion, drowsiness, hallucinations, slower movements, coma (within 24-48 hours), seizures, irritability, sensitivity to light, unconsciousness and neurological problems.
However, people can make full recovery after surviving acute encephalitis, but the experience long-term neurological conditions like seizures and personality changes.
Currently, there is no vaccine or drug available for humans or animals. Hence, it is extremely important to follow the precautionary steps.
The next stage is fatal encephalitis. This life-threatening condition is a form of brain fever causing inflammation of tissues. Watch out for mild symptoms like fever, headache, vomiting, stiff neck,..
