India has increased its containment actions after five cases of Nipah virus were confirmed in West Bengal including cases of doctors and nurses who were infected. The health officials have requested about 100 individuals to stay at home under quarantine as a precaution and the infected are being treated at hospitals both within Kolkata and its surroundings. There are reports that one patient is critical, as per the local reports.
The World Health Organization regards Nipah virus as a high-risk pathogen due to the potential of the severe disease and the lack of a vaccine or specific antiviral treatment. People rarely get infected but this infection is fatal and an outbreak demands a rapid response in the form of public health measures, to ensure that the infection does not spread further.
These infections usually start with non-specific and flu-like symptoms and can complicate the process of early identification. The patients normally have a sudden fever, headache, muscle pain and exhaustion. Cough, shortness of breath or pneumonia develop in some cases though the degree and onset of such symptoms may be different.
Encaphalitis or inflammation of the brain is one of the most severe complications associated with Nipah infection. Several days to weeks after the onset of the illness, neurological symptoms might manifest themselves and they may encompass confusion, altered awareness, seizures and even coma.
Meningitis can also be developed by some patients. The incubation time is considered to be between four to 21 days even though there are prolonged delays of incubation in some rare cases.
The fatality of Nipah virus is too high; the previous outbreaks showed that mortality rates were between 40 and 75 percent, depending on the strain of the virus, and the quality of medical assistance obtained. Neurological issues can be long term (seizures and personality changes) and survivors can experience them. Rarely, brain inflammation has been reported to take place several months or years after the initial infection.
The virus is zoonotic i.e. it can be transmitted between humans to animals and among people as well. The natural reservoir is fruit bats of the Pteropus species.
The human beings may get infected by direct physical contact with the bats or by eating contaminated fruit or food with bat saliva, urine and droppings or close physical contact with the infected individuals and their body fluids. Human-to-human infection has been reported particularly among the family members and caregivers.
The first outbreak of Nipah virus was reported in 1999 in an outbreak of pig farmers in Singapore and Malaysia. The occurrence of recurrent outbreaks has since taken place in South Asia. Since 2001, Bangladesh has reported cases nearly every year and India has reported outbreaks in states like Kerala which had first reported cases in 2018 and since then, cases had been sporadic.
The Philippines have also reported infections or Nipah-like viruses. Even though fruit bats that carry the virus or have antibodies have been reported in areas of Asia and Africa, there are confirmed human outbreaks in South and Southeast Asia only.
No therapeutic agent that acts specifically against Nipah virus or a licensed vaccine against infection has been approved. In case of medical care, supportive treatment is emphasized to treat symptoms and complications. The virus is a priority pathogen since it has an epidemic potential and needs urgent research due to its capacity to cause an epidemic.
There is no vaccine and therefore the best defense is prevention. Health agencies recommend that people should not take raw date palm sap and also ensure that they wash or peel fruits and then eat them. Fruits that indicate a bite by a bat must be thrown away.
People who are working with animals that are sick or animal tissues are encouraged to wear protective gear and gloves. To minimise the risk of person-to-person transmission, individuals must not engage in close, unprotected contact with an infected person and ensure that they keep their hands as clean as possible, particularly after handling a sick person.
Also Read: Republic Day Parade 2026 to Feature Suryastra, Bhairav Battalion and Camels
The state health authorities remain vigilant in West Bengal, and they are focusing on the need to create awareness, early identification and practices of strict infection controls to curb the effects of the outbreak.
