OREANDA-NEWS. The threat of a new pandemic due to the deadly nipah virus discovered in India is a myth. This was stated to Russian media «MIR 24» by Vladimir Nikiforov, chief infectious diseases specialist of the FMBA of Russia, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology of the Pirogov RNIMU.

He recalled that this virus has been known for a long time, even ten years ago there were local outbreaks of it and now nothing has changed. Currently, the symptoms of a dangerous virus have been detected in eleven people in the Indian state of Kerala. The state authorities are checking more than 250 people who have been in contact with the infected.

According to the senior medical consultant of «Teledoctor 24» Neya Georgieva, it's difficult to identify everyone who has been in contact with patients, since the incubation period — from the moment of infection to the moment of the first symptoms lasts from 4 to 45 days. She also noted that there is no specific treatment and vaccination of the nipah virus.

«Sick people are treated symptomatically, and prevention consists in regular disinfection and cleaning of premises. Of course, it is very important to start the timely development of a vaccine and find a cure to prevent a pandemic», the medic added.

The nipah virus has been included in the list of the World Health Organization as one of the most dangerous for humanity. There are no medicines and vaccines to treat this infection. Pharmaceutical companies do not yet have a project to create a drug to counteract nipah. Symptomatic intensive therapy is used as a treatment for the disease.

Earlier it was reported that the mortality rate of the nipah virus, which is spread by flying foxes and mice, is from 40 to 75%. As a rule, it is transmitted to people who have eaten fruits on which there was saliva of an infected animal. This is the fifth outbreak of the virus in India, the last one was recorded in 2019 also in the state of Kerala.