Kathmandu. Nepal’s Health Ministry on Tuesday appealed to the citizens to be alert and responsible instead of panicking about Nipah virus. The ministry said in the statement that it is aware of cases of Nipah virus in some countries. All necessary precautionary measures have been taken to deal with this.

The ministry said that as a precautionary measure, the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) has alerted health institutions and agencies across the country and arrangements have been made to test for Nipah virus. The virus can be spread through consumption of fruits contaminated with urine, feces or saliva of infected bats.

The Health Ministry has urged citizens to adopt standard health measures. These include consuming fruits after washing them thoroughly, eating vegetables after cooking them thoroughly, drinking boiled or safe water, maintaining cleanliness in animal sheds and fields, using protective equipment like gloves and masks, washing hands frequently with soap and water and wearing masks in crowded places.

The ministry has advised that if symptoms like fever, headache, muscle pain, dizziness, cough, difficulty in breathing, nausea, vomiting or, in severe cases, fainting occur, the person concerned should be kept isolated and informed immediately. If you experience suspicious symptoms, contact the nearest health institution or call the health hotline 1115. The ministry clarified that no confirmed case of Nipah virus has been reported in Nepal so far and health authorities are fully prepared to minimize any possible risk.

The Health Ministry said it is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with national and international partner organizations and appealed to citizens to avoid rumors and rely only on official information issued by the ministry.

It is notable that the World Health Organization (WHO) has underestimated the overall health risk associated with Nipah virus globally and in the South-East Asia region, yet in view of the cases reported in India, the Ministry has further strengthened preparedness and public awareness measures.