India Confirms Two Laboratory Cases of Nipah Virus in Healthcare Workers
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Health authorities have intensified monitoring efforts following the laboratory confirmation of two Nipah virus (NiV) cases among healthcare workers in West Bengal. The patients, a male and a female nurse aged between 20 and 30, developed symptoms in late December 2025. As of late January, one patient remains on mechanical ventilation while the other has shown clinical improvement. In response, Indian authorities have tested over 190 contacts, all of whom have returned negative results.
Nipah is a rare but severe zoonotic disease primarily hosted by fruit bats, also known as flying foxes. The virus can jump to humans through direct contact with infected animals, consumption of food contaminated with bat saliva or urine (such as raw date palm sap), or through close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
The virus is particularly concerning due to its high case fatality rate, which ranges from 40% to 75%. Survivors may also face long-term health challenges, including persistent convulsions and neurological changes.
Initial symptoms typically appear 4 to 14 days after exposure and often resemble other respiratory illnesses, featuring fever, headache, cough, and sore throat. This can rapidly progress to acute encephalitis (brain inflammation), causing disorientation, seizures, and a coma within 24 to 48 hours. Because early symptoms are non-specific, timely diagnosis is often a significant challenge for health systems.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) currently assesses the global and regional risk as low, neighboring countries like Thailand and Malaysia have implemented health screenings at airports for travelers arriving from West Bengal. Experts emphasize that while the virus is deadly, it does not currently show signs of spreading easily between humans on a global scale.
There are currently no licensed vaccines or specific treatments for Nipah virus. Medical management relies on supportive care, though research into monoclonal antibodies and a vaccine developed by Oxford University is currently underway. Public health officials urge the public to avoid areas where bats roost, wash and peel fruits thoroughly, and avoid consuming raw date palm juice to reduce the risk of transmission.
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Keywords: Nipah Virus
Nipah Virus
