Taipei, Taiwan – Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (疾管署) has moved to dispel online misinformation linking coconut water to the transmission of the Nipah virus, an infectious disease currently impacting parts of India. The agency clarified that current advisories focus on avoiding unpasteurized date palm sap and dates in outbreak areas – specifically West Bengal,Kerala,and Bangladesh – and do not include coconut water,which poses a minimal risk due to its protective shell. The clarification comes amid growing global concern over the perhaps fatal virus, primarily transmitted by fruit bats.
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Taiwan’s health authorities have clarified misinformation circulating online regarding the Nipah virus, a recently detected infectious disease in India. A false claim suggested that the country’s Centers for Disease Control (疾管署) recommended avoiding coconut water to prevent infection, prompting the agency to issue a statement correcting the record.
According to officials, the advisory applies only to travelers visiting areas experiencing outbreaks, specifically West Bengal, Kerala, and Bangladesh. The health agency emphasized that avoiding unpasteurized coconut sap and dates is the key preventative measure, as these have been linked to the virus’s transmission. The clarification comes as concerns grow over the spread of Nipah virus, which has a high fatality rate.
The primary mode of transmission for Nipah virus is linked to fruit bats. Health officials stated that the highest risk currently comes from consuming contaminated dates and date palm sap, not coconuts or coconut water. Coconuts, with their hard shells, are rarely contaminated by bats in the wild, and there have been no reported cases of infection linked to coconut consumption, unless hygiene conditions are severely compromised.
The Centers for Disease Control explained that the correction was necessary to prevent unnecessary public alarm regarding coconut water and to ensure people focus on the actual preventative measures. Travelers to affected regions are still advised to follow all recommended health and dietary guidelines to minimize their risk of infection. This incident highlights the importance of accurate information dissemination during public health concerns.
原文出處：快新聞／印度爆立百病毒！網傳出國別喝椰子水 疾管署急澄清
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