Health authorities in India are engaged in a critical containment operation following the detection of five cases of the deadly Nipah virus in West Bengal, close to the state capital Kolkata. The outbreak has triggered urgent contact tracing and quarantine measures as officials work to prevent further spread of the incurable disease.
Healthcare Workers Among New Infections
According to officials cited by the Press Trust of India news agency, three new infections were confirmed this week, bringing the total to five cases. The latest patients include a doctor, a nurse, and a health staff member. This follows two earlier positive tests involving nurses at the private Narayana Multispecialty Hospital in Barasat, approximately 15 miles north of Kolkata.
Narayan Swaroop Nigam, principal secretary of the department of health and family, reported that both nurses developed high fevers and respiratory issues between New Year's Eve and January 2. One nurse is now in critical condition and has fallen into a coma. Medical authorities believe this critically ill healthcare worker contracted the infection while treating a patient suffering from severe respiratory problems, who subsequently died before diagnostic tests could be conducted.
Urgent Public Health Measures Implemented
In response to the outbreak, health officials have tested 180 individuals and placed 20 high-risk contacts under quarantine. The rapid response reflects growing concerns about potential wider transmission of the virus in the densely populated region surrounding Kolkata, India's third-most populous city.
The Nipah virus spreads between animals and humans, most commonly through infected bats or pigs, with person-to-person transmission also possible. Fruit bats, which are widespread across India's urban and rural areas, serve as the virus's natural hosts. Human infection typically occurs through exposure to contaminated animals or consumption of tainted food products.
Understanding the Nipah Virus Threat
In human infections, the Nipah virus may initially present without symptoms before rapidly progressing to acute respiratory illness. Common symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, and sore throat. Severe cases can lead to encephalitis (brain inflammation), potentially resulting in coma within 24 to 48 hours of symptom onset.
The virus carries a particularly alarming fatality rate ranging between 40 and 75 percent. Currently, no specific treatment or vaccine exists for Nipah virus infection, making containment and prevention measures critically important.
Global Health Priority Pathogen
Due to its high lethality and epidemic potential, the World Health Organisation has classified Nipah as a priority pathogen requiring urgent research and development. This designation includes accelerated work on both animal and human vaccines to address the ongoing threat posed by the virus.
The current outbreak occurs amid increasing concern among global health experts about zoonotic diseases—those that jump from animals to humans—particularly following the COVID-19 and SARS pandemics. Such diseases can spread more easily due to human interference with wildlife habitats and broader environmental changes.
Historical Context of Nipah in India
India has recorded Nipah virus cases almost annually for more than two decades. The southern state of Kerala has been particularly affected, with the virus linked to dozens of deaths since its initial detection there in 2018.
Nipah was first identified in Malaysia and Singapore in 1999, where it infected pig farmers, and has since caused periodic outbreaks in parts of India and Bangladesh. While the virus is common in certain bat species, human infection remains relatively rare.
Rajeev Jayadevan, former president of the Indian Medical Association in Cochin, explained: "Humans being infected with it is rare, with the most likely source from bats caused by eating an infected animal."
Prevention and Risk Reduction
Health authorities emphasize that the risk of Nipah virus infection can be reduced by avoiding exposure to pigs and bats, and by refraining from drinking raw date palm sap that may have been contaminated by animals. These preventive measures are particularly important in regions where the virus has been detected.
It is important to note that Nipah virus does not occur naturally in the United Kingdom, and no travel-related cases have been reported to date. However, the outbreak in West Bengal serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing global threat posed by emerging infectious diseases with zoonotic origins.
