Nipah virus: Could Australia be forced into COVID-19 style lockdown again? Here’s what the experts say

An active outbreak of the Nipah virus has health authorities on high alert all around the world.

Although there are only a few confirmed cases in the current outbreak, the reaction has been swift and intense due to the incurable virus’ extreme mortality rate, 40 - 70 per cent.

The zoonotic disease spreads from animals, usually bats and pigs, to humans. The transmission can occur through direct contact with an infected animal or through contact or consumption of foods that an infected animal has secreted on.

It is not a regular cold or flu. Although the first symptoms may mimic those of the common cold or COVID-19, it can cause extreme brain swelling and pneumonia, something that can be life-altering to those who manage to survive.

As COVID-19 spread around the world in 2020, countries plunged into lockdowns, an unprecedented health response like the world had never seen. Billions around the world, and in Australia, were confined to their homes.

In Australia, borders were shut, and those who managed to enter the country were forced to complete mandatory isolation in quarantine hotels and subject to regular testing.

With the Nipah virus far deadlier than COVID-19, and with no cure, many are wondering what is being done to stop it from entering Australia and what would happen if it breaks in.

Is Australia at risk?

When asked if Australians should be worried, zoonoses expert Michelle Power, a Professor at Macquarie University, said “yes and no”.

“Like any infectious agent, albeit a virus, a bacteria, they all have different capacity to cause disease and levels of virulence,” Professor Power told The Nightly.

“With the Nipah virus, we only see a few cases spread, but it is one of those highly pathogenic or highly virulent viruses that bats do carry. Another example would be Ebola.”

Explaining the high mortality rate, Professor Power said most humans have no kind of immunity to Nipah.

“Most of us haven’t been exposed to it before, so we don’t have any kind of immunity to it,” she explained.

“The type of virus it is, where it infects and what it leads to, such as respiratory infection or encephalitis, in extreme cases, and the ability to not treat at the moment, that’s why we tend to see those extreme outcomes for infected people.”

Nipah transmission

“The main transmission source is through spread of the virus in (bat) faeces and urine, and contamination of food products that people will eat,” Professor Power said.

“Human-to-human transmission is rare, but possible.

Professor Power explained human-to-human transmission is through “very close contact”, possibly through an infected medical worker completing a surgery or from the exchange of blood or saliva.

“You would really have to be in close contact with those fluids that are being excreted by an infected person.

“Nipah virus has quite substantial symptoms. If you think about the spreading potential, someone infected has to get close to someone else.

“That amplification process is a little more challenging than COVID or a respiratory virus, which is just spread through sneezing.”

Would Australia go into a Nipah virus lockdown?

As the spread of the Nipah virus is vastly different from COVID-19, those lockdown conditions may not be relevant to curb the spread.

Asked if the lockdown protocols Australia experienced could help, Professor Power said no, but there was a caveat.

“No. The behaviour of this virus is slightly different (than COVID),” Professor Power said.

“If the virus evolved and changed, and you saw different transmission patterns, or if it became more infectious and we were seeing a greater number of people (test positive for Nipah), then yes. That may lead to a potential kind of, not necessarily lockdowns, but at least some sort of public health barrier, protection or implementation.

“The whole COVID-19 lockdown was imperative one for, you know, reducing the spread, but also for thinking about the ramifications of the spread and the impacts for health agencies. Like if you’ve got 10 cases versus 20,000 cases going into a hospital.

“It’s actually going to support the structure of that healthcare system and make sure that it’s sustainable throughout those outbreaks.”

If there was a Nipah outbreak in Australia, in its current form, Professor Power suggested we may see health advice shared similar to when measles outbreaks occur.

What measures are being taken at ports and airports?

The Government said on Friday it is taking the Nipah virus outbreak “seriously”, however, it is understood that thermal scanning is not currently taking place at Australian airports.

Professor Power, who works at Macquarie University‘s School of Natural Sciences, said for now, that should be okay.

“We’re talking about two cases. They’re doing contact tracing (in India) at the moment. At this point in time, it’s more about being on high alert. Watching what’s going on and being prepared, particularly people who are travelling to areas where Nipah does present a risk.”

Health Minister Mark Butler on Friday confirmed the Government was monitoring the situation “very, very closely”.

“The Nipah virus is very rare, but it’s also very deadly,” Mr Butler told Nine.

“The Indian authorities tell us they’ve got that outbreak under control, but nonetheless we’re monitoring it very, very closely because this is a very serious virus.”

The Nightly contacted the Australian Border Force to confirm current screening protocols, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

What is Nipah virus?

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans. Other well-known examples of zoonotic diseases include COVID-19, Ebola, Bird Flu, Salmonella, and Lyme disease.

Like COVID-19, Nipah virus originated from bats, specifically fruit bats. It can also spread from animals to humans through pigs.

The incubation period for Nipah virus is between four and 14 days. When symptoms present, people may experience high fevers, nausea, vomiting and respiratory issues, with pneumonia a serious risk.

The most extreme cases of Nipah virus can cause the brain to swell excessively, making sufferers feel sleepy or even have seizures.

Nipah virus is spread from animals to humans by direct contact with a host, or via humans coming into contact with foods or items the animals have secreted on. The urine or droppings from fruit bats are enough to make food contagious.

Like COVID-19, people can be tested for Nipah virus through throat and nasal swabs.

Are Australian bats a risk?

The Nipah virus overseas is not present in Australian bats, or in Australia’s flying foxes, Professor Power told The Nightly.

“There’s no risk of the Nipah virus that we’re hearing about, the cases from overseas, from our bats,” she said.

“We have other viruses in Australia, such as Hendra virus, which is related to Nipah, or in the same kind of viral class... But the Hendra virus has to transmit from a bat, into a horse and then into a person.”

Professor Power said that many bats in Australia are currently suffering from heat stress and fires, and people should still call wildlife rescue if they see a bat in trouble.

“Particularly at this point in time, we are seeing a lot of bats suffering from heat stress and fires. If you do have a bat drop into your backyard, make sure you call the appropriate authorities and don’t go handling it yourselves.”

Professor Power shared an important reminder for wine lovers: bats are important animals.

“They’re pollinators. They keep out wine and fruit flowing.”

Is there a Nipah virus vaccine?

It’s a virus that has been around for years, first detected in 1998, but there is currently no vaccine for Nipah.

Since then, 119 people have died from Nipah virus across multiple outbreaks in Malaysia, India, the Philippines, Singapore and Bangladesh.

The last outbreak of Nipah virus was in 2018, but authorities fear this one could be different.

Where is the current Nipah virus outbreak

The current outbreak of Nipah Virus is in West Bengal, India. So far, two healthcare workers have tested positive. Those 2 cases have 196 contacts according to the health authorities in West Bengal.

“A total of 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases have been identified, traced, monitored, and tested,” a statement said.

“All traced contacts have been found asymptomatic and have tested negative for Nipah Virus Disease.

“The situation is under constant monitoring, and all necessary public health measures are in place.”

In a significant sign of the serious risk Nipah virus presents, countries have started to act.

At airports across Asia, quarantine and screening measures are being intensified, with thermal scanning set up at multiple locations.

In Hong Kong, anyone arriving from India is being screened.

“Hong Kong has the ability to detect infections of unknown causes and emerging infectious diseases at boundary control points and in hospitals,” Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Edwin Tsui said.