Uzbekistan steps up vigilance as Nipah virus spreads in India

According to the committee, the Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans, primarily from bats. Infection may also occur through contaminated food or via human-to-human transmission. The virus causes severe illness, which can manifest as encephalitis or acute respiratory disease and is associated with a high mortality rate.

Health authorities noted that outbreaks of the Nipah virus have been recorded regularly in India in recent years, with sporadic cases also reported in other Southeast Asian countries.

“The Nipah virus has not been registered in Uzbekistan. The epidemiological situation in the country remains stable,” the committee said, stressing that the likelihood of the virus being imported into Uzbekistan is extremely low.

Nevertheless, citizens planning travel to India have been advised to follow preventive measures, including maintaining personal hygiene, washing hands thoroughly with soap, using antiseptic products, washing fruits and vegetables before consumption, avoiding unverified water sources, and refraining from eating fruit that may have been damaged by bats.

The committee also urged travelers to seek immediate medical attention if symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, cough, or other signs of illness appear.

To prevent the importation of infectious diseases and maintain a stable epidemiological situation, continuous sanitary and epidemiological control is being carried out at 54 border checkpoints across the country, the committee added.