[Young Journalist Sophia Lee] As a Nipah virus case with a fatality rate of up to 75% has been reported in India, nearby Asian countries are strengthening the quarantine alert. As it has been noticed that Korea will designate Nipah virus as Class 1 legal communicable disease, related stocks are rising. 

According to foreign press, it has been confirmed that two healthcare workers have been infected with the Nipah virus in West Bengal, India. Following that, nearby countries like Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are strengthening border quarantine and inspection. Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease originating from bats and can infect both humans and animals. It was first found in 1988 at a pig farm, so it is named after the region where it was found. 

The known infection routes are: direct contact with infected bat or pig, consumption of contaminated date palm sap from bodily fluid of bats, and close touch with patients. The incubation period ranges from 4 days to up to 3 weeks, after the primary symptoms like fever, headache, or muscle pain, it could be deteriorated as neurological symptoms or encephalitis. There is no confirmed treatment or vaccine until now. 

However, the foreign press assessed that although the Nipah virus is highly fatal, the spread between humans is limited, so it has low opportunity to become a large-scale pandemic like Covid19. They analyzed that besides the region that primary infection takes place in, the danger of general public infection is relatively low. 

In Korea, Nipah virus is going to be designated as a class 1 legal communicable disease. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency has approved the agenda to designate Nipah virus as a class 1 legal communicable disease, after deliberation in the disease control and prevention committee. After the discussion with related agencies, this will be applied from the upcoming July. 

In response to the news, stocks related to testing kits and vaccines surged. According to Korea Exchange, stocks like Sugentech, GeneOne Life Science, LabGenomics, GeneMatrix, Seegen, and Access Bio were recently getting popular, even some of them recorded to reach the upper price limit. However, volatility seems to be increasing as profit-taking sales emerges, because of the short-term surge. 

The market expects the symptoms of re-spread of Covid19 starting from China and Hong Kong and the designation of Nipah virus as class 1 legal communicable disease have stimulated the investment sentiment. 

▶원문 기사: '코로나보다 강력' 치사율 75% '방역 비상'…진단키트·백신株 '들썩'
 

◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with  이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

ⓒ이코노미스트(https://economist.co.kr) '내일을 위한 경제뉴스 이코노미스트' 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지