Two nurses in Bengal test positive for Nipah virus
Two young nurses from Barasat, near Kolkata, have tested positive for the Nipah virus—one is recovering, but the other is still critical.
The cases were confirmed by India's National Institute of Virology and flagged by the WHO.
Both nurses started showing symptoms late last year.
Health officials tested over 190 people
Health officials quickly tested over 190 people who had contact with the nurses (including hospital staff), and all tests came back negative.
As of January 27, no further confirmed cases had been detected.
Authorities are on high alert with contact tracing, extra testing, and strict infection control to keep things contained.
Nipah spreads from fruit bats to humans
Nipah spreads from fruit bats to humans—usually through contaminated food or close contact—and can cause severe illness or even death (the fatality rate can be as high as 75%).
There's no vaccine or cure yet.
Experts say to avoid anything that might be touched by bats, boil date palm sap before drinking, wash your hands often, and follow health guidelines.
Countries are ramping up surveillance
This is West Bengal's third Nipah outbreak since 1998—a reminder that these viruses aren't just headlines; they're real risks that need serious attention.
While global risk remains low for now, countries are ramping up surveillance so outbreaks like this don't catch anyone off guard.