Several countries, including Thailand and Nepal, have increased their surveillance after cases of the deadly Nipah virus were detected in India. So far, just two cases have been confirmed among 25-year-old nurses, a woman and a man, in West Bengal, according to the World Health Organization.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told ABC News earlier this week that Indian health authorities have deployed an outbreak response team and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is in contact with local officials. The CDC said it is “monitoring” the situation. Despite the virus’s high fatality rate, experts have said it’s very unlikely it will lead to a global emergency.
Here’s what you need to know about the virus, including signs and symptoms, how the virus is transmitted and what treatments are available. To read the full story.