No cases of the importation of the Nipah virus into Belarus have been identified, the Ministry of Health said.
“Taking into account the biological properties of the virus and the endemic nature of the disease, as well as the absence in our country’s fauna of natural reservoirs of the virus (tropical fruit bats), the risk of the spread of the Nipah virus on the territory of the Republic of Belarus is minimal,” the Health Ministry said.
Belarus has the capacity to detect the Nipah virus for diagnostic purposes. WHO-recommended diagnostic kits are available at the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Immunodiagnostics of Especially Dangerous Infections of the Research Institute of Hygiene, Toxicology, Epidemiology, Virology, and Microbiology of the Republican Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Public Health.
The Health Ministry advises tourists traveling to Southeast Asian and African countries to avoid contact with sick animals, avoid close physical contact with people showing signs of infection, thoroughly wash hands with soap and use antiseptic, avoid drinking water from unverified sources, and wash fruits and vegetables before consumption.
The Nipah virus is a high-risk pathogen with epidemic potential. The disease caused by this virus can manifest in humans in different ways — from an asymptomatic condition to rapidly developing severe acute states.