Story maps
故事地圖
Bat again 再見蝙蝠
©2018 SpatioEpi.com
Data source: World Health Organization
Map created by CUHK SpatioEpi Group
Bats are the natural host and vector for a number of emerging zoonotic viruses (e.g. SARS coronavirus, Ebola virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)) that have circulated internationally. In South East Asia, Nipah virus is another source of similar infections the natural host of which is the fruit bat. People who have direct contact with infected animals or body fluid of infected people, or have drunk contaminated raw date palm sap could be at risk of infection.
In May 2018, a Nipah virus outbreak was reported in Kozhikode, India. By June 2018, 18 cases have been reported, giving a high mortality rate of 94%. The map shows the distribution of reported Nipah virus outbreaks in South and South East Asian countries. These countries are located within the hashed area, which covers the home range of fruit bats. Since 2001, Nipah virus outbreaks have been reported in India and Bangladesh only. The inset map shows the number of years that the 2 countries had reported Nipah virus outbreaks and their locations.
By now, there is no vaccine against the Nipah virus. Members of the public are advised not directly touch bats or pigs, or drink raw date palm sap, to reduce the risk of infection.
Data for the map were obtained from World Health Organization.
蝙蝠是幾種國際間新興人畜共患病毒 (如嚴重急性呼吸道綜合症冠狀病毒、伊波拉病毒、中東呼吸綜合症病毒) 的天然宿主及傳播媒介。南亞及東南亞地區的尼帕病毒，其天然宿主亦是果蝠。人若接觸已受尼帕病毒感染的動物或病人的體液、飲用一些受污染的椰棗原汁就會有感染機會。
2018年5月，尼帕病毒在印度的科澤科德縣爆發。到2018年6月為止，已經有18宗報告感染個案及高達94%的死亡率。地圖中圓點顯示曾經爆發過尼帕病毒的國家。地圖的間條部分是果蝠活動的範圍，而曾經爆發過尼帕病毒的國家也是在間條範圍內。2001年開始，該範圍內只有印度和孟加拉報告過尼帕病毒爆發。插圖顯示在這兩個國家曾經報告過尼帕病毒爆發的地點及總年數。
現時暫時未有預防尼帕病毒的疫苗。建議市民不要隨便接觸蝙蝠、飲用椰棗原汁、以及觸摸豬隻以降低感染尼帕病毒的風險。
地圖資料源自世界衛生組織。
Related Article
What is Nipah virus? 什麼是尼帕病毒?
Nipah virus infection is a zoonosis, a term referring to conditions caused by microorganisms transmissible between animals and humans. Its incubation period usually ranges from 4 to 14 days. However, the longest incubation period can be as long as 45 days.
Nipah virus infected persons could present with fever, headache, and muscle ache. Neurological features like drowsiness, disorientation and mental confusion my occur. Such symptoms and signs may persist for 3-14 days. In serious cases, progression to coma may occur within 24-28 hours following symptom onset. The mortality rate is between 40% and 75%.
尼帕病毒感染是一種人畜共患疾病。該病毒潛伏期一般為4至14天，但最長可達45天。
尼帕病毒感染患者初時會有發燒、頭痛、肌肉疼痛。部份病者有嗜睡、迷失方向和意識混亂等神經症狀，一般持續3至14天。這些徵狀有機會在24至48小時內進展至昏迷 。尼帕病毒感染的死亡率為40％至75％之間。
How does it spread? 如何傳播?
Fruit bat is the natural host and vector of the Nipah virus. People who have direct contact with infected animals (e.g. pigs) or body fluid of infected people, have eaten or drunk contaminated food (e.g. raw date palm sap) are at risk of infection.
果蝠是尼帕病毒的天然宿主及傳播媒介。人若接觸已受尼帕病毒感染的動物(如豬隻)或病人的體液、吃或飲用一些受果蝠污染的食品(如椰棗原汁)就會有感染機會。
Prevention? 如何預防?
There is no vaccine for the Nipah virus so far. To reduce infection risk:
Do not contact bats and sick pigs.
Do not eat food which might have been bitten by bats
Avoid drinking raw date palm sap.
Wear proper protective clothing when coming into direct contact with infected animals (sick pigs) or people.
現時暫時未有預防尼帕病毒疫苗。可以透過這些預防措施去減低感染的風險：
不要接觸蝙蝠及有病的豬隻。
當懷疑食物被果蝠咬過，請不要食用。
避免飲椰棗原汁。
如需接觸受到感染的動物（如豬隻）或受感染的病人時，應該穿上適當的保護衣物。
Related maps 相關地圖
Other resources 其他資訊
Organisations 有關機構
Further information 詳細資料
- Niaph virus, WHO
- Niaph virus, Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, Hong Kong
- Nipah Virus, CDC