Nipah virus detected among health staff in West Bengal, India

Health authorities in West Bengal detected a cluster of Nipah virus (NiV) infections in early January 2026, with five laboratory-confirmed cases reported by Indian media between January 23 and 25. Among them were healthcare workers from a Barasat hospital.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) previously listed the outbreak under international monitoring in its Week 3 report, recording two confirmed cases on January 13, both nurses confirmed by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Kalyani and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune through RT-PCR testing.

Local surveillance teams identified around 100 contacts, who were placed under observation or home quarantine. As of January 23, all high-risk contacts tested had negative results.

A field survey conducted in January in North 24 Parganas District tested fruit bats and date-palm sap for the virus. No active Nipah virus was detected in any sample, though antibodies were found in one bat, suggesting past exposure. Environmental monitoring and sampling continue to trace the spillover source.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic paramyxovirus belonging to the Henipavirus genus, with its primary reservoir in Pteropus fruit bats.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Nipah virus infection can range from mild febrile illness to severe neurological disease and death. People typically develop symptoms 4 to 14 days after exposure.

The illness generally lasts 3 to 14 days and begins with fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. In more severe cases, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) develops, producing confusion, drowsiness, and seizures; patients can fall into a coma within 24 to 48 hours.

The virus spreads to humans through direct contact with infected animals such as bats or pigs, or through consumption of contaminated food or drink. Fruit or raw date-palm sap contaminated with bat saliva or urine is a common vehicle for initial infection, a process known as a spillover event. Once a person is infected, Nipah virus can spread from human to human via close contact with respiratory droplets or body fluids, particularly in healthcare or household settings.

Caregivers and healthcare workers are considered at higher occupational risk. In areas where outbreaks have occurred, such as India and Bangladesh, CDC advises avoiding raw date-palm sap and fruit potentially contaminated by bats, avoiding contact with flying-fox bats or sick pigs, staying away from areas where bats roost, washing hands regularly with soap and water, and avoiding contact with blood or bodily fluids of infected persons.

There is currently no licensed treatment or vaccine for Nipah virus infection. Medical management relies on supportive care, maintaining hydration, controlling fever, and managing respiratory or neurological complications. Experimental monoclonal antibodies and vaccine candidates are under evaluation but remain unavailable for general clinical use.

Teo Blašković

I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.

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