Novel Bunyavirus Found To Be Contagious, Infection Spread Through Tick Bites

While the world is still grappling with COVID-19, a new virus called the Novel Bunyavirus has been found to cause Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) in East China’s Jiangsu Province. What’s worth worrying is the infection, like Coronavirus is communicable and may transmit from one person to another.

Experts have reported that the main reason behind the spreading of infection is due to ticks, and is contagious. Contrary to the previous reports that stated the virus could be spread only via blood, respiratory tract and wounds.

Sheng Jifang, an expert on the novel Bunyavirus, said that three years ago, a man died of the infection and due to heavy bleeding, infected 16 more people. As reported by the Global Times, one of those people died of severe infection later. Jifang is the director of the infectious disease department with the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine.

What are tick bites?

Ticks, scientifically called Ixodidae. One can find these parasitic insects outdoors. They feed on the blood of animals and are mostly found in pets like dogs and cats. As the name suggests, Tick Bites is the result of bite of a tick.

Tick bites are primarily harmless, but they may transmit certain deadly infections and diseases, one of them being Lyme disease.

Precautions to prevent the spread of Bunyavirus?

The family members, medical staff and friends of the infected patients should take the necessary precautions to prevent the spread of Bunyavirus. People should avoid going to bushes and jungles to avoid contracted infections.

Ticks breed during Summer, so all these precautions must be taken. Especially during the summer season to stop the potential of a local epidemic.

All you need to know about Bunyavirus:

The novel Bunyavirus was discovered in Central China’s Henan and East China’s Anhui provinces, first in 2009. Older adults have higher chances to get the infection, the fatality rate being 1 to 5 per cent.

With no vaccine available to target the disease correctly, it becomes essential to follow the precautions and get treatment as soon as one gets infected with the virus.

Talking of the early symptoms, fatigue, fever and rashes have been observed in the patients. STFS can cause clinical signs such as low count of WBC’s, low platelets,multi-organ dysfunction or even failure. So far, the transmission of the virus occurs only through tick bites.

In July, the infection resulted in five deaths in Lu’an in East China’s Anhui Province. A total of 23 people were hospitalised due to the disease in Jinzhai county in April. There were reports of four more deaths in Qingdao, a province in East China’s Shandong due to the viral infection.

For more information, kindly visit our official website – www.neodrafts.co