CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said that the Nipah virus is not contagious as COVID-19.
During his visit in the province on Friday, Tayag said Nipah virus is “very different” from Covid-19 as it has different symptoms.
“Ibang-iba po ito sa Covid. Ang sintomas po nito ay lagnat, masakit ang ulo hanggang sa mamamaga po ang utak, magkakaroon ng diliryo, mawawalan ng malay, at kalaunan, mga kalahati po dinadapuan nito ay maaaring namamatay,” he said.
Tayag added that due to high mortality rate, the infected person usually can not transmit the virus to other people.
“Mahirap siyang kumalat sapagkat ‘pag mataas ang mortality rate, namatay kaagad iyong dinapuan niya, hindi na kalalat ang virus kasi patay na iyong host. Hindi katulad ng COVID na mataas talaga ang transmission rate noon,” he said.
To prevent the human transmission of the virus, Tayag told the public not to eat “double dead” or hot meats.
He said the natural hosts of Nipah virus are bats and can easily infect other animals.
“Bawal na bawal ang double dead meat sapagkat sa aming pag-aaral noong 2014, ito ang naging sanhi ng human transmission ng virus,” Tayag said.