Read Here: Secret Life of ‘Red Flying Fox Bat’ that resides in Nalbari’s Chengnoi Village

Nalbari: At a time when there are reports of death of 17 people in Kerala after being infected with the deadly Nipah virus (NiV) created panic among the people of the nation, here’s a story of people from a village Chengnoi in Nalbari District who made drastic approach in protecting one of the rarest species of Bats identified as Red Flying Fox Bat.

Situated 10-12 km away from the District Nalbari, people living in this village have been protecting these particularly endangered species of Asian Bats from extinction.

As per reports, these endangered species of bats have been surviving in the region for the last 40 to 45 years. This Red Flying Fox Bat can be spotted hanging upside down behind the backyard of the residences of the people living in the Chengnoi village.

So far there have been no reports of Nipah Virus (NiV) in the area, although people in the region have been consuming fresh fruits like jack fruit, mangoes from the trees where these Red Flying Fox Bat are holding on over the years.

The scientific name of the Red Flying Fox Bat is (Pteropus scapulatus).

Key facts of Nipah Virus (NiV)

Nipah virus infection in humans causes a range of clinical presentations, from asymptomatic infection (subclinical) to acute respiratory infection and fatal encephalitis.

The case fatality rate is estimated at 40% to 75%. This rate can vary by outbreak depending on local capabilities for epidemiological surveillance and clinical management.

Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals (such as bats or pigs), or contaminated foods and can also be transmitted directly from human-to-human.

Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural host of Nipah virus.

There is no treatment or vaccine available for either people or animals. The primary treatment for humans is supportive care.

The 2018 annual review of the WHO R&D Blueprint list of priority diseases indicates that there is an urgent need for accelerated research and development for the Nipah virus.