Nipah Virus outbreak in India prompts airport screening across Asia

INDIA—India has confirmed two cases of Nipah virus infection in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, marking the country’s seventh documented outbreak of this deadly pathogen.

Both patients are 25-year-old nurses—a woman and a man—who work at the same private hospital in Barasat.

They developed initial symptoms during the final week of December 2025, which quickly escalated to serious neurological complications.

Health authorities placed both individuals in isolation in early January as their conditions deteriorated.

The Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory at a government hospital in Kalyani first identified the cases as suspected Nipah infections on January 11.

The National Institute for Virology in Pune provided official confirmation two days later on January 13, triggering an immediate public health response across the region.

Extensive contact tracing yields negative results

Following the confirmation of the infections, health officials launched an extensive contact tracing operation.

Authorities have since identified, traced, monitored, and tested 196 individuals who had contact with the confirmed cases.

All contacts have remained asymptomatic and tested negative for Nipah virus infection, offering some relief to concerned health officials working to contain the outbreak.

West Bengal’s history with Nipah

This outbreak represents the third time Nipah has struck West Bengal, following previous incidents in Siliguri in 2001 and Nadia in 2007.

The affected districts border Bangladesh, where Nipah outbreaks occur almost annually, raising concerns about cross-border transmission and the need for regional coordination.

The national government has deployed an outbreak response team to West Bengal to collaborate closely with state authorities.

Enhanced surveillance measures, expanded laboratory testing, strengthened infection prevention protocols, and intensive field investigations are currently underway.

These coordinated efforts between central and state health authorities have enabled timely containment measures to prevent further spread.

Regional response and screening measures

The outbreak has prompted neighboring countries to implement precautionary measures.

Thailand has begun screening passengers at three airports that receive flights from West Bengal.

Nepal has also initiated screening protocols at Kathmandu airport and various land border crossings with India.

Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) is closely monitoring the situation and has stepped up vigilance through multiple channels.

The agency has classified Nipah as a notifiable disease under the Infectious Diseases Act, requiring medical practitioners and laboratories to report all confirmed and suspected cases immediately.

Hospitals and emergency departments have received alerts to remain vigilant for patients presenting compatible symptoms along with recent travel history to affected areas.

Singapore authorities plan to distribute health advisories to travelers at entry points, instructing inbound passengers to seek medical attention if they feel unwell after travel while providing health precautions for outbound travelers.

Temperature screening will be established at airports for flights arriving from affected areas.

The Ministry of Manpower is increasing surveillance of newly arrived migrant workers from South Asia and engaging primary care providers to heighten awareness.

Understanding Nipah Virus

The World Health Organization has listed Nipah among its top ten priority diseases alongside pathogens like Covid-19 and Zika due to its potential to trigger epidemics.

Nipah is a zoonotic virus carried by fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, from the genus Pteropus.

These bats inhabit parts of South and Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region, and Oceania.

The virus can infect humans directly from animals, through contaminated food, or via human-to-human contact.

Although outbreaks have been reported only in Asia to date, the virus has epidemic and pandemic potential because it spreads between people and through domestic animals.

Targeted risk communication activities continue in affected and neighbouring districts, emphasising preventive behaviours such as avoiding consumption of raw date palm sap, which can become contaminated with bat saliva or urine.

 Limited treatment options

Nipah virus disease causes severe illness with reported case fatality rates typically ranging between 40% and 75%, depending on factors including virus strain and access to high-quality healthcare.

The virus can cause brain inflammation known as encephalitis, whereby among survivors of encephalitis, approximately one in five experience long-term neurological complications, including recurrent seizures, extreme fatigue, or behavioural changes.

In rare cases, relapse or delayed onset of encephalitis can occur weeks, months, or even years after recovery and may prove fatal.

Currently, no licensed vaccine or specific antiviral treatment exists for Nipah virus infection in humans, although several vaccine candidates are under development.

Early supportive care, including intensive care for severe respiratory or neurological complications, remains the only critical intervention for improving survival rates among infected patients.