Nipah Virus Death In West Bengal: NiV Infected Nurse Dies of Cardiac Arrest In Barasat Hospital; Post-Recovery Complications To Know
Nipah Virus Death In West Bengal: Nurse who recovered from Nipah virus infection dies of cardiac arrest in Bengal hospital. Scroll down to know more about this virus and it's fatality rate.
Nipah Virus Death In West Bengal: The 27-year-old nurse who was diagnosed with Nipah virus in January this year died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital in North 24 Parganas district near Kolkata on Thursday, state health officials have confirmed.
According to the reports, the Nipah infected nurse had tested negative for the virus recently. She was on her way to recovery. However, multiple Health complications delayed her recovery process.
"The female nursing staff, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Barasat, died on Thursday afternoon. Her condition had deteriorated over the past few days. The other patient was released earlier," said an official of the state health department.
"She died of cardiac arrest. Though she had recovered from Nipah infection, she was suffering from multiple complications," said another official.
Hospital officials said she had been in a prolonged coma, which severely weakened her immunity, and later developed a lung infection. She had been taken off ventilator support at the end of January, but her condition worsened again. She was placed back on ventilator support on Wednesday and died of cardiac arrest around 4 pm on Thursday.
Nipah Virus Infection: Severe Post-Recovery Complications
In another statement, the state health authorities also stated that the death should not be interpreted as a fresh surge in active Nipah virus cases. "The patient had recovered virologically, but her overall health status worsened due to complications," a senior official said, adding that cardiac arrest was the immediate cause of death.
The case highlights urgency to understand the virus, and follow required steps to contain it from spreading.
Medical experts note that Nipah virus infection can have long-term effects, especially in patients who experience severe illness. Neurological damage, respiratory issues, and cardiovascular stress are known complications that may persist even after recovery from the acute phase of the disease.
In a study, the World Health Organization (WHO) has mentioned that the Nipah virus is known to cause persistent neurological and systemic damage, particularly in patients who experienced severe illness.
Some of the most common post-recovery health complications are - neurological problems, cardiac issues, severe respiratory problems, extreme fatigue and weakness, and worsening mental health.
Doctors explain that Nipah virus can cause multi-organ inflammation, and the damage done during the acute phase may continue to affect the body even after the virus is cleared. "The absence of active virus does not mean the body has fully healed," infectious disease specialists from WHO notes, stressing the importance of long-term monitoring.
Are We Heading Towards Another Pandemic?
As of now, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not sounded any alarm bells for a pandemic like situation. However, keeping all the present cases, deaths and outbreaks in mind, the global health body has asked everyone to be alert.
Some of the easy steps that one can follow to stay safe include:
- During an outbreak it is recommended to maintain hand hygiene.
- Do not consume half eaten fruits or cracked fruits and vegetables.
- Stay away from people showing signs linked to the virus.
- Do not consume raw date sap - it is the primary source.
According to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), two confirmed cases of Nipah virus disease were reported from West Bengal. The second confirmed case, a male nurse, recovered and was discharged in January.
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