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Health officials have confirmed five cases of Nipah virus in West Bengal, India, in the state's first outbreak of the virus in 19 years. The latest cases prompted authorities to order nearly 100 people into home quarantine.
The three latest infections in India include a doctor, nurse and health worker, all linked to the same private hospital where two nurses first tested positive. It follows two cases confirmed on January 13, when officials said both cases were receiving hospital treatment.
Nipah virus, which spreads between animals and people, is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its potential to trigger an epidemic. Fruit bats are the natural host of the virus.
The virus has a fatality rate of between 40-75 per cent, according to the WHO. It says this rate can vary by outbreak, depending on local capabilities for managing the spread of the virus. There is no vaccine to prevent the infection and no specific treatment to cure it.