Two Suspected Nipah Virus Cases Reported in Barasat; Samples Sent to NIV Pune

Two suspected cases of Nipah virus infection have been reported in Barasat, the headquarters of the North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal. The patients, a male nurse and a female nurse employed at the same private hospital in Barasat, are in critical condition and currently on ventilator support, health officials confirmed on January 12, 2026. Both individuals had travelled to their homes in the East Midnapore and East Burdwan districts in December 2025 before falling ill.

West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty stated that contact tracing has been initiated immediately following the suspicion of Nipah. “Two suspected cases of Nipah virus have been reported. They both worked in the same hospital and are now admitted there. We have started contact tracing,” she said. Samples from the patients have been dispatched to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for confirmatory testing, with results awaited to verify the presence of the highly lethal virus.

The state health department has activated its response mechanisms, holding urgent meetings involving the chief medical officers of the North 24 Parganas, East Burdwan, and East Midnapore districts. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been formally alerted, and Union Health Minister JP Nadda has assured the West Bengal government of full technical, logistical, and operational support to manage the situation effectively.

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Nipah virus, a zoonotic pathogen primarily carried by fruit bats (Pteropus species), is known for its high fatality rate of approximately 70 percent. Transmission to humans can occur through direct contact with infected bats, their saliva or urine-contaminated surfaces, or via intermediate hosts such as pigs. Human-to-human spread is also documented, particularly in healthcare and close-contact settings. There is no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment available, making early detection, isolation, and supportive care critical to containment efforts.

The development has raised concerns among health authorities given Nipah’s history of outbreaks in India, notably in Kerala in 2018 and 2021, and its potential for rapid spread in densely populated areas. Officials are closely monitoring the patients’ contacts, including hospital staff, family members, and others they may have interacted with during travel or illness onset. Public health advisories are expected to be issued shortly, urging vigilance for symptoms such as fever, headache, respiratory distress, and neurological issues.

The situation remains under active surveillance as confirmatory results from NIV Pune are anticipated in the coming days. The collaboration between state and central authorities underscores the seriousness with which the potential outbreak is being treated to prevent any escalation.

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