Health officials in India are monitoring new cases of Nipah virus, a rare but highly dangerous infection that can spread between animals and humans and has no known cure.
According to People, the latest cases were identified in the eastern state of West Bengal, prompting quarantine measures and expanded surveillance.
The two nurses working at a private hospital near Kolkata tested positive for the Nipah virus after developing severe symptoms in late December. Both reportedly experienced high fever and respiratory distress within days of each other.
They were admitted to intensive care on January 4 as their conditions worsened. One of the nurses is currently in a coma.
A senior health official said the exposure likely occurred through a patient who had previously been treated at the same hospital. “The most likely source of infection is a patient who had been admitted to the same hospital previously,” the official said, adding that investigations are still ongoing and the deceased patient is being treated as the suspected index case.
As of January 20, officials said roughly 180 people had been tested in connection with the cases, with all results so far coming back negative.
Around 20 individuals identified as having high-risk contact with the nurses have been placed under quarantine and will be retested after completing a 21-day isolation period.
Given the severity of the disease, both state and national agencies have stepped in. A Health Ministry official said that the situation is being treated as a top priority due to Nipah’s high fatality rate and its potential to spread quickly. India’s National Centre for Disease Control is also involved in the response.
Authorities are additionally investigating possible animal sources. Researchers have begun collecting blood and swab samples from bats at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo, along with other sites across West Bengal.
Zoo Director Tripti Sah said the team followed strict safety protocols during testing and emphasized there was “no reason for immediate panic.”
Nipah virus is known to cause symptoms ranging from mild illness to severe respiratory infection and fatal encephalitis, or brain inflammation.
The World Health Organization notes that transmission can occur through contact with infected animals, contaminated food such as fruit or sap, or through close human-to-human contact.
There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for the Nipah virus. Medical care focuses on managing symptoms, including fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting, and neurological complications. Health officials have urged the public to avoid contact with bats, wash fruit thoroughly, and use protective clothing when handling animals.