The cluster of infections was detected in West Bengal, prompting large-scale contact tracing and the imposition of quarantine measures to prevent further spread. According to the Press Trust of India news agency, three new cases were confirmed this week, in addition to two identified earlier.
Several of those infected are healthcare workers, including one doctor and three nurses from the private Narayana Multispeciality Hospital in Barasat, around 25 kilometres from Kolkata. Narayan Swaroop Nigam, principal secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Family Welfare, said one of the nurses is in critical condition and in a coma.
Authorities believe the nurse was infected while treating a patient suffering from severe respiratory distress, who later died before being tested for the virus. The two nurses developed initial symptoms, including high fever and respiratory problems, between New Year’s Eve and 2 January.
In response to the outbreak, 180 people have been tested, and 20 high-risk contacts have been placed under preventive quarantine.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus, transmitted from animals to humans. Fruit bats, which are widespread in India, are considered the virus’s natural hosts. Transmission can also occur through infected pigs or via direct human-to-human contact, increasing the risk of hospital-based outbreaks.
In humans, infection may initially be asymptomatic but can rapidly progress to acute respiratory illness. Common symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat. In severe cases, the virus can cause brain inflammation (encephalitis), leading to coma within 24 to 48 hours.
Due to its high lethality and epidemic potential, the WHO has classified Nipah as a priority pathogen, urging urgent research into the development of vaccines and treatments for both humans and animals.
