Amid Nipah virus concerns, AIIMS expert says ‘Eating fallen & unwashed fruits is dangerous’

Sept. 7: The health department is on high alert after a 12-year-old boy died of the Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode, Kerala on Sunday. Amid concerns over the Nipah virus’ spread in Kerala, an AIIMS expert has warned against eating unwashed and fallen fruits. According to Dr Ashutosh Biswas, Professor, Department of Medicine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the fruit bats are the carriers of the virus.

Nipah virus is spread mostly by fruit bats. Fruit bats leave their saliva on the fruit. The virus transmits to animals and humans once they eat the same fruit. As of now, there is no cure for this virus. “Once this virus gets into human circulation, it starts to transmit from human-to-human and the transmission is so fast, that it can spill over. Therefore, it is very important to identify its origin in the beginning. Eating the fallen half-eaten fruits, without washing them, is very dangerous. If we don’t wash fruit before eating, then the virus starts spreading from animals to humans.”

According to the World Health Organization, the Nipah virus infection apart from causing respiratory illnesses, also results in fever, muscular pain, headache, fever, dizziness, and nausea.